Alaska Bound
by Crimson Anna
Summary: Written before the mid season finale, I updated it to reflect their losses. Two new OCs are introduced ... the nuGovernor Ethan Blake along with Beth & Maggie's Uncle Jack.
1. Chapter 1

"CARL!" Rick's voice boomed through the quietness. "CARL! CARL!" He ran through the still burning debris, dodging falling embers until he froze. Lying on the ground, stiff and lifeless, was the body of his son with a large chunk of meat gone from his neck and shoulder. "NO! GOD NO!" He ran over and pulled Carl into his arms, crying and rocking his body.

"Rick," Michonne called out as she came up on them. "No." She ran to his side and knelt, seeing the large chunk of flesh gone. "Oh God no, please no."

"My boy," Rick wailed in pain and anguish. "My boy, my boy."

"Michonne, did you …" Sasha stopped as she saw them knelt. "Oh please God no."

Tyreese, Glenn, Maggie, Daryl and Jack came up and stopped beside Sasha. Maggie threw her arms around Jack and wept as Daryl wiped his eyes.

"Shit," Daryl muttered. "I thought he made it."

"Beth," Jack muttered and looked around. "Beth! Bethy! It's Uncle Jack! Bethy!"

Tyreese and Sasha started walking through the debris, looking around for any sign of the young girl. Sasha stopped and knelt, picking up the burnt duck that Judith had hung onto as a toy. Tears rolled down her face as she turned to Tyreese, clutching the duck to her. Tears started streaming down his own face as he turned to look back at Rick.

"Damn."

Glenn moved over and knelt beside Michonne, wrapping his arm around her as Daryl moved over to Tyreese and Sasha. "We found this," Sasha whispered, holding the burnt duck to her. "There's no other sign of them."

"Glenn, go with Sasha and Tyreese out into the woods, I'll stay here," Daryl spoke up as he wiped his eyes. "We need to find them."

"We will or die trying," Tyreese spoke as he headed off.

Glenn rose and walked over to see Sasha hand Daryl the duck. His eyes began filling with tears as he darted off into the woods after Tyreese. Sasha clutched his arm as she took off running to the woods. Daryl looked down at the duck and rubbed it absently as he turned. Maggie was standing there, looking at him. A wail escaped her lips as she saw the burnt duck he was clutching. Jack also spotted the duck as tears ran down his face.

Daryl walked over and knelt beside Michonne and Rick. Reaching over, he gripped Rick's shoulder as tears rolled down his face. "Don't make no sense, the kid was right behind me."

"I thought he was behind me too," Rick whispered.

"Nothing makes any sense," Michonne whispered. Her eyes shot to the burnt duck and unsteadily, she reached out and took it from him. "Not a damn bit of sense."

Rick wiped his eyes and saw the duck. He looked over at Daryl, who shook his head. "They're out in the forest looking for them now. They might still find them before it gets too dark to see. Let me bury him for you, least I can do for the little man."

Rick nodded absently as Daryl picked the lifeless body up and started walking down the hill. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he placed a kiss on the lifeless boy's head. "Tell yer mom we miss her and tell Andrea I miss her too." He stopped by the grave markers and laid the boy down. Reaching behind his back, he knelt in the dark and knifed the boy in the head to be safe. He cleaned the knife, returning it behind his back as he took the shovel and started digging.

Maggie walked over and picked up the other shovel and began digging silently with him as tears rolled down her face. "Do you think Beth and Judith are all right?"

"I don't know, it's dark outside," Daryl spoke, his voice heavy with emotion. "Where's Rick?"

"With Jack and Michonne, he can't walk," Maggie replied as her tears continued to fall. "Please God, let them be all right."

The hole was dug and Carl lowered into it as Michonne and Jack finally walked up with Rick between them. He fell to his knees beside the grave; reaching down, he twisted and pulled the wedding ring off his finger and leaned over to lay it on Carl's body. Emotions overcame him as he fell back on the ground, letting the tears flow freely now as he rolled on the ground. Maggie went to his side and picked him up in her arms, whispering soft words of comfort into his hair as Michonne helped Daryl fill the grave in. She continued to rock him as Jack turned to look at the fire raging behind them.

"From ashes we were born and to ashes we return," he spoke. "God, we commend the soul of this bright, warm, caring young man to your care. We offer up a thanksgiving for having to known him, and we ask a special blessing that he be reunited with his mother who is now in Your Kingdom. We offer up prayers for the safe return of our Beth and Judith. Please God, send your angels to watch over both of them as we pray. Amen."

"Amen," Daryl and Michonne whispered.

"Let's get out of here and onto the road before the fire gets worse, we'll pick the others up," Jack spoke as Daryl and Maggie picked Rick up from the ground. "Come on son, we need to go."

"I can't leave my boy," Rick wailed.

"You're not leaving him, he's with his mother and Heavenly Father now," Jack spoke, wiping his eyes. "He wouldn't want you dying here because of him."

Rick allowed himself to be half-carried, half-walked to the cars where they loaded up and left the prison that was once their home. He absently stared out the back window of the car, watching the prison slowly be consumed by the raging inferno. He leaned his head over and placed it in his hands. "Please God, protect Beth and my daughter."

"Amen," Sasha whispered and gently gripped Jack's hand.

"Okay blondie, here we are," Mitch called back to her. "Don't forget the brat."

Judith's cries had calmed down the further they had driven but her face was still red and pouty. "She's not a brat, she is scared out of her mind," Beth spoke defiantly, "and so am I. You have no idea what we just went through."

"I can only imagine." Opening the door, Mitch slid out and pulled the seat back for her. She climbed out and looked around. They were in the back stock room of a large big box store. Groves climbed out and slid the door shut as Mitch closed the car doors. Holding his arm out, she started following him down the long corridors; he pushed the swinging doors open and they stepped out.

"Beth, what are you doing here?" Carol asked, walking up to her.

"We rescued her from the prison that was on fire," Mitch grinned.

"Where is everyone?" Carol asked, hugging her.

"I don't know," she whispered as tears began to fall.

"You brought me a present, how special of you," his voice boomed around her.

"Don't be scared, he can be a nice man when he wants to be," Carol quipped.

She cuddled Judith close to her as the footsteps got closer and closer. She saw him in the shadows, then he stepped forward; there was no mistaking him … eye patch, vest, long coat. The more she stared at his face, the more she wondered if she knew him.

"Aw, a blonde and a baby, I feel special," he chuckled.

"Ethan," she whispered. She handed Judith to Carol and walked towards him. "Ethan?"

"Beth," he breathed, staggering briefly. "Beth."

"Ethan," she cried and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to him.

"Dear God how," he spoke as a tear fell from his eye. He held her tightly and ran his hand through her hair. "I don't care how, but I am so glad to see you."

"It was horrible," she cried. "There were walkers and a fire and so much smoke. I had Judith and we were following Carl but I lost him in the smoke." He held her close as her knees gave out. Scooping her up, she sobbed harder. "I don't know if anyone is left alive or not."

"Don't cry sweetheart, you're safe now," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "Carol, can you handle the baby for a little while till she calms down?"

"Sure, but how do you know her?" Carol asked.

He turned and started to walk off with her in his arms. "We're family." He vanished into the darkened store as they stared at one another.

"Family?" Mitch questioned.

"But she's Jack's daughter and Maggie's sister," Carol breathed then looked at Judith. "Oh baby, I am so glad you are safe." Judith looked up at her as tears began to form in her eyes. "Come on sweetheart, let's get you something to eat."

Kicking the door to the office open, Ethan carried her over and laid her down on an air mattress. He ran his hand over her hair as he pulled a blanket around her. "Get some rest, we will talk later."

"Ethan, have you seen anyone from the prison?" she asked as she laid her head on the pillow.

"You're the first person I've seen since," Ethan smiled as he dimmed the lantern. "Get some sleep, I'll be out in the store. Don't worry, there are no walkers in here." He ran his hand over his face. "Did someone rape you?"

"No why?" she asked, then caught on. "No, that's Judith … Rick's daughter."

"Rick's daughter with his deceased wife," Philip breathed. "For a moment, I thought she was yours."

"I've been taking care of her," Beth yawned and began to fall asleep. "I feel like she's mine."

"We'll talk more later, now rest." He slid out the door, pulling it closed behind him as Mitch walked up. "Where are the rest of them?"

"Hell if we know, all we saw was her running out into the road with the baby in her arms and walkers chasing her," Mitch replied. "Did you see the gun?"

"Yea, it's Rick's," Ethan hissed. "I swear if that man laid a hand on her …"

"Rick would never do that, especially with her," Carol spoke, walking up with Judith. "I fed and changed her and I started gathering her some supplies. Ethan, how are you and Beth family?"

He pushed everyone out into the store so Beth could rest. "Her half-brother Shawn was my son from my previous marriage to her mother Annette."

"Damn," Mitch grinned. "You got a kid, well sort of."

"Jack and I never got along as far as Shawn was concerned. I did my best, I even had him and Beth for a time when Jack was off the wagon," Ethan continued. "Beth became a spark between me and Annette, we were trying to talk to one another but then I met my wife and we married and then Penny was born." He looked at Carol. "Who put them down?"

"They were in the barn originally, then Shane and the others found out. They let all the walkers out and started shooting them. Beth went to her mother's body afterwards, but Annette reanimated and came after her. It was all Rick could do to pull her free. Daryl and T-Dog finished putting her down, then Beth tried to commit suicide. Rick was good to her, he made sure no one harmed her and after Lori, well he started to lean on Beth for support. He never asked for it, but she always gave it to him. I guess Rick saw her as a surrogate mother to Judith, but after that I don't know. That's when he kicked me out."

"Doesn't seem like she's any worse for wear," Ethan spoke as he took Judith into his arms. "Come on, let's see what we can find you darlin'." A slight smile crept to her lips as Judith started patting his eye patch. "You like it, I'm glad."

"What do we do about her?" Groves asked.

"We keep a look out for the others, find out who made it and who didn't. If any of them survived, they may come looking for her. If they didn't, they will stay with us," Ethan spoke.

"Just what we need, a blonde and a baby," Mitch huffed as he stalked away.

"Forget him," Groves grinned and tickled Judith's cheek. "She is adorable."

"She will be a heartbreaker when she gets old enough," Carol grinned as they started walking. "I bet she will look just like her momma."

"Let's hope so," Ethan chuckled.

They stood outside the cars, watching the prison burn bright in the night sky. People had been lost, close personal friends and family … Carl being one of them. Tears rolled down everyone's cheeks softly as Rick paced from side to side.

"DAMN IT!" Rick hissed as he reached down his side. Looking down, he saw the holster and Colt were missing. "DAMN IT!"

"Dude, chill," Daryl spoke up, "you are going to have a damn heart attack."

"Good, maybe it will put me out of my damn misery," Rick spoke, wiping his eyes.

"Don't think like that," Maggie spoke, reaching out to touch him. He recoiled and stared at her. "We made it, we're here …"  
"We didn't make it … Carl didn't make it … Judith and Beth didn't make it!"

"Stop!" Jack snapped. "We don't know they didn't make it, they could have went out the other side of the prison!"

"Then why haven't we found them yet!" Rick snapped back. "Beth was right behind Carl with Judith when the fire started."

"We didn't find them but we did find something," Sasha grinned as she walked up. Opening her hand, she held out empty shell casings. "We found these, and if memory serves, these belong to your missing gun." She dropped them into his outstretched hand. "I think I know where the gun is."

"With Beth," Maggie whispered as tears rolled down her face.

"But where is she," Jack asked, wiping his eyes.

"We found a trail of dead walker bodies heading out to the road on the back side," Glenn spoke as he came up out of breath. "Tyreese is walking the road at the moment, we found tire impressions … someone might have picked them up."

"So the possibility is Beth and Judith are alive," Jack spoke slowly. "We need to find them."

"We need a damn bloodhound for that, the tracks vanish at the crossroads two miles up," Tyreese spoke as he came up from the darkness. "It was either a truck or some type of SUV that picked them up, you can see tire impressions in the mud. The mud ran out before the stop sign, but they didn't go offroading."

"So what do we do, split up or stay together?" Glenn asked.

"We get in the cars and we drive," Jack spoke up. "We don't split up unless we have to."

Running his hand over his face, Rick turned and walked back to the green SUV and climbed in the backseat, slamming the door. He leaned his head back as tears began to fall.

"I'll drive," Sasha spoke and patted Jack's shoulder.

"We've got to do something about him," Michonne breathed.

"Like what … he just lost his son and he's afraid, like we all are, that Beth and his daughter are deceased," Glenn reminded her.

"If he goes off the deep end, what do we do then?" Michonne asked, climbing onto the back of the motorcycle.

"We deal with it then," Daryl replied, jumpstarting the cycle. "He didn't ask questions when I went off the deep end over Merle, so I ain't gonna turn my back on him now. He needs us, we're his family."

"Damn straight," Tyreese spoke as he walked to the truck. "Don't get too far ahead, these lights on this thing aren't the best in the world."

"Just be careful, we don't know how many walkers are out there," Sasha spoke up, climbing into the front seat. She looked back at Rick. "Why don't you stretch out and catch some zzz's for a little while."

"Before you do," Jack spoke as he climbed in, "take these two and talk to me later."

"What are they?" Rick asked as he popped the pills and chased them with water. His eyes began to droop as he fell over.

"Tranquilizers," Jack chuckled softly to himself.

"Damn old fool," Sasha chuckled.

Maggie looked out at the woods before climbing into the car with Tyreese. Glenn turned to look at the burning prison one last time before climbing into the car.

Opening her eyes, Beth looked around as she sat up. Yawning, she stretched and got up; she opened the door and trudged slowly out into the store. After a few moments, she grabbed her mouth and dove for the ladies' room. Pushing her way into a stall, she leaned over and vomited hard. She retched several times for kneeling, her body shaking.

"You okay?" Carol asked, walking in.

"Just felt sick for some reason," she replied, rising slowly.

"Do I need to go to HBA for you?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Of course you do, I was pregnant once too … remember."

"I'm not pregnant," she spoke, "that I know of."

"Wait here, I'll grab you a test and some anti-nausea medication."

She leaned on the wall of the stall as she stood there, pondering the implications of whether she was or she wasn't pregnant. A smile crept to her lips as she ran her fingers across her stomach … the idea of her being pregnant with his child, with Rick's child, made her feel giddy inside. She turned to see Carol walking in with water and a bottle.

"Here, take this." She handed her the bottle and water. Reaching into her shirt, she pulled the box out. "Then pee on this and we'll figure it out from there."

Taking the pills, she smiled and took a long drink of water. Unwrapping the test, she went into the stall and closed the door. She sat down, reading the instructions and used the test. She flushed the toilet and walked out, laying it on the sink.

"Two minutes to a miracle."

"Meaning?"

"Two minutes to either I am pregnant or not."

"Was Rick your first?"

"And only."

"If you don't mind me asking, why take the risk?"

"We love each other."

"And he's said as much?"

"No, we were just starting to make things work."

"And you love him?"

"Been in love with him since the farm. I hope he and Carl are all right."

"Me too. How was Daryl?"

"Last time I saw him, he was pissed at the world still for what Ethan did to Merle."

"Why? What did Rick tell him about me?"

"He told me the truth, what he told Daryl I don't know."

"Beth, I did what I did …"

"Don't, I understand why you did it."

"Are you mad at me?"

"I don't know what to feel."

"Makes sense." Looking down, Carol sighed and shook her head. "It's negative." She dropped the test into the trash and noticed Beth's face. "You were wanting this weren't you?"

"Yea, a little. I was hoping I was in case he was gone."

"Why?"

"I have Judith, but a baby would have been from him to me. I would have part of him growing inside me and I would have a part of him in my arms. I know it sounds all sweet and stuff, but it's how I feel."

"I know, you are always the optimist, and I like that about you."

"What changed?"

"Losing Sophia."

"I never did tell you how truly sorry I was about that."

"And I never got to tell you how sorry I was for the way they treated your mom and brother."

"It's taken me a long time to forgive them for that, but I am at peace with it now. I now understand the walkers and somewhat what they are. They still scare me, but I understand more now."

"Where did you get that?"

She followed Carol's gaze down to the gun and holster. She ran her hand over it, smiling. "I found it in the fire, I think he dropped it by mistake."

"Come on, let's find you some better clothes than those to wear. We are going on a shopping spree." She opened the door. "You need to see what I got for Judith, oh she looks like a living doll now … and, she likes Ethan."

"Well, she is a good judge of character."

They exited the women's bathroom and headed down through the junior's department as Ethan slipped inside. He went to the trash can and looked down, seeing the pregnancy test lying there. He saw the readout of 'negative' and exhaled softly before exiting the restroom.

He listened to the light chatter between Carol and Beth then smiled to himself. He could see her with them indefinitely, that is if they didn't find the others. He found his thoughts wandering to Andrea, and realized that she was the reason Beth affected him more now.

"Hey Mitch, mind if I go for a walk?" Ethan called out across the store.

"Do what you want, just don't leave the door open again!" the reply was yelled back.

Shaking his head, he laughed a little before heading out the door. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled the cigarettes out and lit one as he started walking towards the outer parking lot. His eyes raked the cars then he spotted the one he wanted and headed that way.


	2. Chapter 2

"What do you think about Ethan?"

"Here's one."  
"That's too big. You didn't answer me."  
"Nonsense, you tie it around your waist and it's perfect."

"I like these."  
"Those would look good on you."

"None of these coats look like they will fit."

"We can go over to the women's department and see if any of those will. The reason I haven't answered you is I don't have an opinion yet."

"Well, maybe you will and maybe you won't. Maybe I will find some skinny fit jeans too."

"Why? The bootcut look fine on you."

"But they don't stay on my hips."

"Then you need a belt."

"The skinny fit sit perfectly on my waist and they're not baggy for a walker to grab onto."

"I swear, you sound just like Rick."

"Really?"

"It's not a compliment."

"It is to me. He trained me, Carol; he took me out and showed me how to defend myself, take care of myself …"

"Shoot that honker on your hip."

"That I learned the hard way, and it's got a kick to it."

"I bet it does. I never understood why he chose that over some of the other more powerful guns in our arsenal."

"This thing is powerful enough."

"Ladies," Mitch spoke as he walked up. "Dinner is served in the commissary."

"What dinner?" Beth asked.

"We broke out the grills and other things then started grabbing food."

"I don't eat meat," Beth cringed.

"So you're the reason he's grilling tofu with soy and hoisin."

"That sounds delicious," Beth grinned. "Too bad no fresh vegetables."

"No, but we got enough cans of the damn things. Me personally, give me a hunk of meat and potatoes any time."

Carol and Beth laid their clothes over the rack as they followed Mitch to where they were cooking. Shaking her head, Carol grabbed a pack of plates and silverware from the shelf and then reached over to grab a large bucket of tea.

"Do we have anymore of those little red sodas?" Groves asked.

"Plenty," Carol smiled and sat two in front of him. "Tea, Beth?"

"Yes please." She watched as Ethan walked over and sat a plate of seared tofu with bean sprouts and cauliflower in front of her. He reached behind his back and produced a salad with a jar of bleu cheese and smiled.

"I have a pile of salads in the fresh freezer that still works, along with a ton of dressing. I remember something about you only eating bleu cheese dressing for some reason," he smiled as he sat.

"It's part of my lifestyle," she replied and spooned some out on her salad.

"What are you, vegan or something?" Mitch asked as he took a bite of steak.

"No, vegetarian," she replied as she took a bite of the tofu. "This is delicious, it reminds me of that Japanese place you took us that one night."

"I remember that," Ethan chuckled as he savored his steak.

"Do you eat seafood or dairy?" Groves asked. "My wife was a vegetarian, and she loved to eat seafood constantly."

"I am an ovo-vegetarian, which means I eat dairy products and eggs," Beth explained. "I'm not real fond of seafood, it makes my throat tighten up and I can't breathe that well. Daddy was going to get me tested for food allergies, but it never happened."

"That definitely sounds like a seafood allergy to me," Mitch commented, taking a long drink of tea. "I'm the same way with nuts, especially pecans and walnuts."

"Can you eat peanut butter?"

"Nope."

"I love crunchy peanut butter."  
"We have several cases if you want some," Groves grinned. "I like that chocolate hazelnut spread stuff, my grandkids used to fight over it."

"How many grandchildren did you have?"

"Nineteen."

"And how many kids did you have?" Carol questioned.

"Seven."

"Damn man, you were a baby making machine," Mitch chuckled softly.

"I was also deployed from the time I was 19 to right before this shit happened," Groves explained. "I married her straight out of high school."

"Good man," Ethan smiled. "Reminds me of how Beth's mother and I met."

"She's not yours?" Groves asked.

"No, her half-brother was my son," Ethan explained. "I consider her my daughter though."

"You're a good man in my book then," Groves smiled and took a long drink. "My granddaughter Stephanie got me hooked on these."

"Nothing but sugar and caffeine," Carol scoffed.

"Yea well, at least I quit the alkie for these," Grove reminded her.

"True."

"How nice is this that we can sit here and eat together," Ethan grinned.

"Where's Judith?" Beth asked, glancing around.

"The crib right there," Groves said, pointing over a few feet. "We brought it over and laid her down. She was happy, watching us cooking and all. I fed her some applesauce and butternut squash puree, then gave her some meat sticks and a cookie. She had some juice in her cup then was gone before the steaks hit the grill."

Beth reached up and wiped tears from her face. "Thank you, that's the most food she's had in awhile. We've done the best we can for her, but …"

"Sweetheart, you keeping that baby alive after her momma died is awesome. She didn't have her mother's milk to boost her immune system, but she is fine. She's no worse for wear, and besides we have three aisles full of baby food to make her happy for a long time."

"Thanks."

"If you are interested," Mitch spoke up, "there is something around here called meatless jerky, I think it's made from the stuff you're eating."

"We need to check into that for you," Carol spoke up. "You are too lean, you have no muscle mass. You need to watch out and take care of yourself."

"I will, and I will try some of that," Beth smiled as she went back to eating. "I know you may think I'm crazy for maintaining this type of lifestyle with all that's happening, but in truth I don't like the taste of meat."

"Maybe someone hasn't cooked it right for you," Groves spoke up.

"I used to make her and Shawn hamburgers, and I will give her credit that she did try them but she just couldn't eat it," Ethan grinned.

"I hated the taste of it for some reason," Beth replied.

"Some people just can't stomach the taste or texture," Grove added.

"Well, we're all like that," Mitch commented. "Here is to the things that make us different and the things that bind us together."

"Here here."

"Are you sure you want me to take your office?" Beth asked as Ethan walked around, gently rocking Judith in his arms. "This is your room after all."

"It's just where I crash at night."

"But still …"

"I can crash on the air mattress out the door by camping," he smiled as he leaned over and laid Judith gently into the crib. "I brought her some bottles we warmed in case she gets hungry and here are some diapers too."

"Thank you Ethan," she smiled. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad at least you are here with me, I don't know what I would do."

"Get some rest, things will be seem better in the morning," Ethan smiled and turned the light down. "I'll leave it on in case you need it."  
"Thanks."

She settled into the bed as he pulled the door shut behind him quietly. Smiling, he walks away and goes to sleep.

"Gas station!" Glenn called out, hanging out the window and pointing.

"Sounds good to me," Tyreese chuckled as he flicked the lights.

Daryl pulled into the station as the other cars pulled in behind him. "Any idea where we are?"

"Somewhere around the 261 corridor I think," Glenn commented. He saw Jack and Sasha climb out without Rick. "How is he?"

"Out like a light," Jack grinned.

"Damn fool gave him tranquilizers," Sasha spat as the door opened behind her.

"I've taken tranquilizers before," Rick growled and glared at him. Shaking his head, he headed out to the tree line and vanished.

"Should we go after him?" Maggie questioned.

"NO!" came the loud reply.

"Bathroom break," Daryl chuckled as he reached out. "Damn, pumps are still running."

"Can I not go to the bathroom alone now?" Rick growled as he walked back over.

"You need coffee dude," Glenn laughed aloud as he put the nozzle into the truck's gas tank. "Glad I never had to wake you up before now."

"Yea well, I also need a bottle of whiskey sour too," Rick snorted and popped the gas tank open on the car. Unscrewing the cap, he slid the nozzle in and started pumping gas. "How are we doing Sasha?"

"We were down to a quarter tank," she smiled and leaned back against the car. "Damn, I haven't had a whiskey sour in a minute."

"Half bottle and two tranquilizers and I was ready for anything," Rick chuckled. "Damn I miss those days."

"Never pictured you as a drinking man," Jack commented, crossing his arms.

"I wasn't," Rick smiled. "That was the only way tranquilizers would work on me, my body got too accustom to them."

"Oh really, why is that?" Jack asked.

"Over worked and under paid back in the day," Rick commented as the pump shut off. He pulled the nozzle out and rescrewed the gas cap. "Being a deputy sucked for a long time. I hate to say this, but I think the criminals had it better than I did most of the time."

"We did, most of the time," Daryl chuckled as the bike filled up. "How's that doing?"

"Almost on half," Tyreese replied. "This thing is a work horse when it gets going."

Pulling the map out, Glenn looked around and started turning. "We're getting close to the state line, but to which state I do not know."

"I don't know if I can leave or not," Rick spoke up.

"We're not leaving, we're relocating," Jack spoke and gripped his shoulder. "Now get your ass back in the car and go back to sleep!"

"Touchy aren't we," Rick chuckled as he opened the back door. "Beth said you could be a bear at times."

"And why would she tell you that?" Jack asked.

"Oh she told me lots of stuff," Rick smiled. "She could talk for hours and then, she could say nothing at all and I knew exactly how she felt."

"I was right!" Maggie snapped. "You two were together! She lied to me!"

"No we weren't together, not yet anyway," Rick replied. "We were working on it."

"Sasha, you might want to tune out the conversation Rick and I are getting ready to have when we get back in the car," Jack growled. "It has things to do with my good foot and his backside where my daughter is concerned."

"I have heard that speech plenty of times," Sasha laughed. "My daddy told that to every new boy-friend I had."

"Smart man," Jack spoke as he climbed in the car.

"You are dead," Glenn chuckled as Maggie shoved him in the truck.

"I agree with him," Tyreese laughed and climbed in.

"Nothing says more than a pissed off father and the man who is in love with his daughter in the same car," Michonne giggled as she put her arms around Daryl.

"Glad it's him and not me," Daryl chuckled as he cranked the bike.

"Tell me something."

"What?"

"Which color do you prefer … decadent blonde or cascading honey blonde?"

"I like the color you have now, it's more natural."

"I know but to me I look old."

"I bet you'd make a nice brunette."

"Brown huh, and what about you? What would you pick?"

Beth reached out and pulled out a box. Carol took it and looked down. "Brilliant Bordeaux … a redhead, why?"

"I've heard redheads have more fun."

"Oh they do," Carol grinned. "Want to dye it?"

"I don't know, what do you think?"

"How about something like this?" Carol reached in and produced a reddish-blonde color. "It's still red without being overly dramatic about it."

"That's actually quite nice."

"Which one?" Groves asked, walking up.

Carol turned to show him the reddish-blonde hair color. He took the box and held it to Carol's face. "Nah, it would wash you out too much."

"It's for her silly."

He held the color to Beth's face and stared at the box. "Beautiful choice, and it's enough red to set off your eyes." He pulled a box of honey chocolate brown out and handed it to Carol. "Now this is definitely you, right color for your skin and eyes."

"What were you in a former life?"

"Came out of the Marines and went to work at a supply house. My wife developed cancer and her hair fell out, so I started buying her wigs to make her feel better. I got so used to doing it, I would spend $500 at a time for a nice wig. One time, I bought her one about this color and your length, Carol. She fell in love with it … I buried her in it."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"At least it was from cancer and not from this shit now."

"Is your first name Groves?" Beth asked.

"No, it's Wallace … hate Wally, so I go by Groves."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Beth Grimes."

"Beth Greene."

"No, Beth Grimes."

"Glad it's not Beth Blake or Herriott or whatever he uses now."

"Were you and Rick really that serious?"

"Yea we were."

"If you ladies want some help, I am more than happy to help with the dyeing," Groves grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.

"All right, let's do it then," Carol smiled. "You in Beth?"

She took the hair color and stared at it. She pulled her blonde streaks around and looked back at the box. "Beth Grimes is a reddish blonde while Beth Greene was a blonde. I need this new start for not just myself, but for Judith too. Let's do it."

"Follow me ladies, the sinks are this way."

"And furthermore," Jack spoke, "no bodily fluids will be exchanged …"  
"They already have been," Rick chuckled as he laid in the back seat with his eyes closed. "We've been kissing since her birthday."

"I don't mind the kissing, it's the other things I have issue with," Jack smarted back at him. "I don't want to have to remind you of what happened when I finally caught Glenn and Maggie. I am only glad they had sense to use protection."

"I was there, you don't have to remind me."

"Are you two going to be like this the entire time cause if you are I will beat you both up," Sasha growled. "Where the hell is Daryl taking us? We've been down this road before."

"Sasha, he is driving in circles to avoid walkers."

"He's driving in circles cause he's lost!"

"Daryl doesn't get lost," Rick chuckled. "If he's driving in circles, it's because there are too many walkers and too few of us."

"They're stopping," Sasha spoke up, putting on brakes and setting the car in drive.

They climbed out and walked up front. Daryl stood with a pair of binoculars looking out at the road ahead. "Shit."

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

"There's a herd of at least 50 or more headed towards us and I can't find a way around them. We can't go through them."

"Can we double back?" Glenn asked.

"Either that or go offroading," Daryl commented.

Tyreese walked over and picked the motorcycle up and walked to the truck, depositing it in the bed. "You can drive, I don't understand 4-wheel offroad that much."

Daryl looked at his bike then back to Tyreese. "Damn."

"Which way you want to go?" Sasha asked.

"We can head down that offshoot behind us," Daryl commented. "Glenn, hop in back and use the flares to keep the road lit for us."

"Gotcha," Glenn spoke and climbed in back. "Where are they?"

"In the back in a box," Daryl called out.

"You mean this box," Rick chuckled as he walked up with it. "Wrong car."

"Thanks," Glenn smiled.

"Let me drive Sasha, I can handle it offroad better," Rick spoke, reaching for the keys.

"Sure why the hell not," Sasha spoke. "I can climb in back and drown out your chat."

"Foot and butt?" Glenn asked. "Been there, heard that many times."

"I'm gonna give you a foot in a minute," Jack snapped. Glenn ducked as Jack waved his fist at him.

"Uncle Jack," Maggie giggled.

"This is all I've heard for the past 100 miles," Sasha growled. "You ride with them and give me some peace!" She stomped pass Maggie and climbed into the truck.

"Well then," Jack smiled. "Would you care to ride with us darling?"

"No thanks," Maggie laughed and climbed in with Sasha.

"You're leaving me alone with him?" Jack asked.

"Yep," Tyreese smiled as he flipped Daryl the keys.

"I'll go with them," Michonne huffed, "just to keep them from wrecking from the fights."

"You're braver than I am," Glenn chuckled, peering over the lip of the truck.

"Here's the straightener."

"Thanks, hand me that brush too."

"Where's the comb at?"

"Here you go."

"I never thought I would have a hair dryer again."  
"You and me both."

"What the hell is going on over here?" Mitch asked, walking up with Judith.

"Makeover," Groves smiled.

Beth flipped her now reddish-blonde hair up from her face and smiled.

"Damn, you look hot."

"No cursing in front of the baby."

"She heard Ethan cursing so I took her."

"How is she doing?"

"Two jars of meat sticks, three pouches of apple kale squash puree and two cookies. No diaper changing as of yet and loves this doll he gave her."

"Where is Ethan at anyway?" Carol asked.

"He is doing something or another with that black car he brought over from the upper parking lot," Mitch commented. "Hey, while I was out I went looking and didn't see any signs of them. I saw where it looked like they went offroad a few miles from here, but nothing yet. We need to stay inside, there's a herd heading this way."

"How big of a herd?" Groves asked.

"At least 50 or so."

"After I finish with the ladies, we'll go around and lock everything down so they can't get in."

"Already ahead of you and done that across the front, I even pulled the metal doors down so they couldn't see us inside."

"Good cause I sealed up the loading docks and pulled the cars inside," Ethan spoke as he came up. "Looking lovely ladies."

"Thank you."

"Beth, that red suits you nicely."

"Thanks."

"We need a way to keep an eye on the herd somehow," Carol spoke, finishing her hair.

"There's access points to the roof in the stock area," Ethan commented. "We can climb up there if we have to."

"That works," Mitch commented then sniffed. "Baby doll, your butt is rotten."

Looking at him, Judith threw her head back and started laughing.

They rolled through the woods, being careful not to puncture the tires as they continued. With the roads blocked, the only way to move was the way they were going. Daryl and Rick kept close to one another as they drove. The forest opened into a large field as they started driving a little faster. The field broke into a large area of what appeared to be crops next to a road. They climbed out as Jack walked over to inspect.

"Corn, dry as a bone. None of it's worth eating."

"Why does this look familiar?" Daryl asked, lighting a cigarette.

"Because the farm house was three miles over that hill," Rick spoke. "We're almost back to the farm."

"Hard to believe," Daryl spoke.

"I don't want to go by there, it's too hard," Jack spoke, biting his fist.

"We have our bearings now, we know where the gas stations are," Rick spoke, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"So what are you planning on doing once we find them?" The question was simple. She wrapped her arm around his as they strolled through the abandoned store. He leaned over to peer down at the baby in the stroller. "She's getting there."

"Maybe in another aisle or two," she laughed softly. She leaned her head against him, lost in thought. "I haven't thought that far ahead yet because I don't want to get my hopes up and be disappointed."

"That's understandable," he spoke as he stood, straightening his back. "I have an idea for you to consider, I don't care one way or the other."

"What's that?"

"Stay with me."

"With you? And these idiots?"

"No, we would pack up a car and leave, just the three of us. We would find a safe haven, a place in the middle of nowhere, wherever to get out of this."

She kept silent for a few moments. "What about you? How would we explain her and your eye? Could you live with me?"

"Beth, we're family …"

"That's not what I meant. Could you live with me and not want that?"

"Ah, I see what you mean. I guess we would have to add someone in for me, and later someone for you. We would cross that road when we came to it."

"Even though I love someone?"

"Even though you … wait, who? Please don't tell me Rick."

"What's wrong with loving Rick? He is a great man!"

He stopped and looked at her. "What has he done to you?"

"Nothing why," she shied away from his gaze.

"I saw the pregnancy test in the trash, and I know it wasn't Carol's." She looked at him. "Did he do something to you?"  
"Yea something," she smiled. "He didn't force himself on me if that's what you're thinking. It was my birthday … we were scouting abandoned houses, and it started to rain. We took shelter and just sat and talked. He kissed me and said 'happy birthday' and the next thing we know we're in bed with one another. That was not planned, but it certainly didn't hurt." She blushed brightly. "Why am I telling you this?"

"Would you rather be telling Maggie or Jack?"

"Hell no."

"Beth, you have always been able to tell me things over other people."

"Yea I know. It's just I would hope to tell them if they're still around. "

"What do you mean 'if' they're still around … Beth, what happened? What is the real reason you've been with us for over a month?"

"There was an accident … a fire," Beth began.

"We found them," Mitch spoke as he walked in.

"Where are they?" Carol asked.

"The abandoned truck stop up on Route 208. There's only about seven there; they got three vehicles, one of which is the motorcycle. We could hit them now and be done with this." He looked around. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Pushing Judith around in a stroller, talking."

"Talking? Damn, what is his problem? First the chicks and that kid, and now blondie and the baby. Are we a freaked daycare all of a sudden?"

"I'm not sure what Ethan is up to with Beth, and to be perfectly honest I don't like it."

"Why, thinking he's planning on getting him some farmer's daughter?"

"None of your business, Mitch!" he hissed.

"They're at the abandoned truck stop on 208. Daryl's motorcycle and two other vehicles. Does that sound like enough for everyone, Beth?"

"No, that's only about 7 or 8 of them." She stopped as tears began rolling down her cheeks. "Did you see who was there?"

"Nope blondie, we didn't get that close."

"Only 7 or 8 left after the fire," Ethan breathed. "My God, there was over fifty people living in that prison and now there's only 8 left."

"And we don't know which 8," Beth spoke softly.

"Wait, what about the prison?" Carol asked. "What are you not telling me?"

"The prison caught fire; people were running away, that's how Mitch found me and Judith. We were in the forest with walkers closing in."

"There were over 50 people there," Carol breathed.

"That sickness killed 15," Beth admitted.

"So we go from 50 to 35, so where's the other 27?" Mitch asked.

"Dead or not with them," Ethan spoke as he put his arm around Beth and pulled her into a hug. "We will figure out who is there, and if it's not them then you will stay with me." She nodded quietly. "You should have went to see who was there!"

"Hey, you don't give me orders!" Mitch snapped. "Besides, I know Daryl is there … his bike was in the lead with some black chick on the back."

"That could be either Sasha or Michonne," Carol spoke up.

Groves took that time to walk in and hand a set of car keys over to Ethan. "It is gassed up and ready to roll whenever we are."

"I got us a car, okay Mitch," Ethan spoke, noticing the look on his face. "Groves was nice enough to go put gas in it."

"Why?" Mitch asked.

"We needed gas for the Trailblazer to get it to the gas station," Groves told him, "or your skinny ass would be walking and I wouldn't give a shit."

"Okay whatever. Carol, Groves, let's ride … Ethan, you can drive your lady friend and the baby in whatever car you got. We're taking blondie back home."

"If it's no one but Daryl, I am taking her and we're leaving," Ethan spoke up. "If it's Rick and the others, I will ride back with all of you."

"All right, I can dig that … wait, you're going to give her the car?"

"It has all the baby stuff in it, that way if she wants to run away from them she can," Ethan explained. "You never claimed territory over the cars in the outer parking lot … just the ones close to the building."

Groves gave him a hi-five and grinned. "You did say that bro, so don't deny it."

"Whatever, let's just roll."

"We're going to go see daddy," Beth smiled as she looked down at Judith.

Judith leaned her head back and grinned a huge broad smile. Ethan chuckled at her as he started pushing the stroller for the door. "I can't believe how happy she is with everything that is going on. It is a true test to how you care for her."

"Thanks," Beth smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I wish things had been better for Lily and them."

"Me too," he spoke as they headed out into the parking lot. He walked over and opened the door; unfastening the walker, he lifted Judith up and sat her in the car seat. Folding the stroller, he dropped it in back and shut the trunk. "Go ahead and get in, I need to speak to Mitch for a moment. He and I have some unfinished business we need to discuss, like him and his attitude for starters."

"All right." She climbed in and fastened her seat belt, watching him walk over to the Hispanic man. The two seemed to argue briefly before they shook hands on something. He walked back over and climbed in. "What was that about?"

"If you run, you can come back here and grab what you will need for the road. We will stay gone for two hours so you can. If you don't run, I don't come back."

"Ethan."

"It's only if you don't leave."

"But how will you know?"

"Oh, I'll know. Don't worry about that."

"Ok." She gripped his hand and smiled. "I have missed you."  
"Same here." He cranked the engine and pulled out behind Mitch.

"Okay, so if this is the 208, then the highway headed north is about fifteen miles from here," Glenn spoke as Maggie held the flashlight for him to read the map. "We might want to find a gas station between here and there." He looked around. "I wish I knew which exit we were at so I could get a better gauge on how we have to go."  
"Don't worry, just do your best," Maggie smiled.  
"Do you think we can get around on the roads?" Sasha asked.

"Not sure, we'll have to be careful, I know 285 around Atlanta is clogged badly," Glenn acknowledged. He looked around. "Where's Rick?"

"Daryl's keeping an eye on him," Maggie spoke, looking over. "He's walking around like a caged animal wanting to break loose and kill something."

"There's nothing to do for him?" Sasha asked.

"I have given him enough tranquilizers to kill a horse and he's still on his feet," Jack spoke as he looked down at the map. "He's so on edge, he's snapping at people then he apologizes. I wish there was something to do for him. He could … become a … liability if we don't something. We might even have to think about leaving him alone."

"Jack, this is Rick we're talking about. Look at what he's been through … he lost Lori less than 9 months ago. Carl died at the prison from the walkers, and Judith and Beth …" He stopped. "He's lost everyone that is important to him." He stared over Jack. "You were getting close to having to have the speech about your good foot and shotgun."

"Oh really," Sasha mused. "Wait, you mean him and Beth?"

"Yep," Maggie spoke. "Seems as though my sister and he were getting a little too close for my comfort and not close enough for hers."

"You mean she was wanting …" Sasha's voice trailed off.

"She had it bad, and he was getting that way before the fire. They would make excuses to go on walks together after dark. When we would go out for patrol, we would catch them standing in the clotheslines surrounded by laundry and kissing. She would start taking stuff down, and there he'd be … arms around her waist and nuzzling her neck and being all sorts of cute in ways that Glenn and I never were."

"Yea well, I was scared of your father then too," Glenn grinned.

"And look at you now," Jack laughed as he turned to look over at Rick. "I hope we never have to think about leaving him. I don't know if he could survive in the mental state he's in."

"Like you said, let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"Why does it take so long to read a map?" Daryl huffed as he took a long draw off his cigarette. "Want one?"

Rick glared at him for a moment then his face fell. "Please, maybe it will calm my nerves."

"And how many tranquilizers have you had?" Michonne asked as he lit the cigarette.

"At least 10 in the past three days, with no affect," Rick spoke, running his thumb over his brow. "I had to take tranquilizers while I was a sheriff. I got to where I would work late nights and the following morning. I was working around 39 hours a day with only four hours of sleep a night. Lori got pissed and sent me to the doctor after I suffered a stress heart attack."

"Damn," Tyreese spoke. "How long were you down for?"

"Three months," he replied, taking another long draw. "Doctor refused to even let me on light duty till I passed five, count them five, stress tests."

"Man, I bet you were stoked all the time," Daryl smiled. "Helping any?"

"I used to smoke before I got shot and landed in a coma before all this and missed the first 6 months of the outbreak," Rick chuckled softly. "I survived the beginning because I was in a coma from being shot. Unfreaking believable."

"Could have been worse, you might have been on the front lines of this shit."

"I was in a coma for a year."

"Damn, you did miss the good stuff," Daryl chuckled.

He finished the cigarette then dropped it and stomped it out. Inhaling, he closed his eyes for a moment. "Was great, little lightheaded though but that comes with the territory."

"Is it helping your nerves any?"

"Not a damn bit." He leaned his head back and let out a sound between a groan and a wail. "Damn this world!"

"Preach it brother, preach it!" Tyreese laughed.

He stopped and stood, holding his finger to his lips as he tilted his head around.

"SHIT! We have company!" Daryl yelled as headlights could be seen in the distance.

"What was that?" Sasha asked. "Was that Rick?"

"Yea, but Daryl just yelled something," Maggie commented.

"Something about …" Sasha began.

"Company," Glenn spoke, pointing to the approaching headlights. "Probably the Governor and his batch."

Rick's hand went reflexively to his side but his gun wasn't there. "Easy," Daryl spoke. "Let's see what they're planning first."

"I just want someone to say something wrong to me," Rick growled.

"I know, but chill first," Daryl spoke, turning to glare at him. "Remember, we talk first then shoot unless its walkers."

"And I guess you got that from me," Rick snorted.

"Yep, and it's worked so far," Daryl grinned cattily.

"Why do you do everything I said?" Rick questioned.

"Because you are the boss … boss," Daryl grinned as Rick playfully shoved him.


	3. Chapter 3

He pulled up and sat there, contemplating what he was about to do. "You don't have to do this, you can come and stay with us on the road. I will protect you, I will protect Judith. There's no reason for the two of you to go back. Let me help you, please. Beth please, let me help you. I don't even care that the baby is not yours, I just don't want you to go."

"Ethan, we went over this … they are my family. My life is there."

"What reason there?"

"One big reason … Rick." She licked her lips. "Thank you for the offer, and I appreciate it, but he needs me just as much as you do. He is her father and he takes care of her and me both; he has so much on him, there are times I cry for him because he has no one to help him lay his burdens down."

"You want to be that person, don't you?"

"I do, more than anything and most times I help him do that but the rest of the time he keeps it all bottled in like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. If I could take that from him, and give him the peace and rest he so deserves, everything would be fine. I would not even care if he loved me or not."

"You really love him that much?" He climbed out the driver's seat and walked around to her side of the car, blocking their view of her.

"Yes I do." She paused. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Not a bit. I thought your mom was that for me, but we had our issues." He paused and looked over his shoulder. "Now, take a good long look at him."

She was startled by what she saw. "What's wrong with him?"

"That is the same man you fell in love with, except he has nothing to lose. He thinks you and that precious little girl are dead. He's out of control, probably itching for a fight too."

"What about Carl?" He hung his head as her hands began to tremble. "At the prison?"

"It would seem so, but we don't know the details and they are not very forthcoming with their information where we are concerned.. Your father and Maggie are here, they made it. Aren't you happy about that?"

She nodded as she kept staring at Rick; all she could think about is getting out of the car and running to him as fast as she could.

"Let me out, Ethan." She wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him. Her hands began shaking as she stared at him.

As if sensing her thoughts, he opened the door. "I understand what you are feeling right now but there's something you need to think about."

"What else is there to think about. He'll be happy to see me and Judith. He'll go back to his old self and life will go on."

"I know he will, but that's not the point. If you don't take him and run as far away as you can, you're going to lose him. He feels like there is no hope, he lost his son and he thinks he lost his daughter and you but he hasn't. He's given up; look at him, look at his eyes, that is a man who thinks he has nothing to lose and doesn't care about his own life or the life of anyone else around him. Now tell me, is he stable enough to care for his own child."

She looked passed him and stared at Rick. The furor and anger in his eyes as palpable, she could feel the hate from the safety of the car. Tears welled up in her eyes; all this time, he had to deal with the loss of his son and the thoughts of his daughter being dead too.

"But what if he won't leave with me?" she asked, stifling a sob. "What if he doesn't want to go? What if this is how he wants to live?"

"He will go with you sweetheart, he will but if you have to … make him go, make him leave, make him choose to put his family first. When that man sees you walking up with that precious baby in your arms, all that anger and hate you see right now will melt away. You will have given hope back into his life, and the way he looks now is a man who has lost every shred of hope there is and is on the verge of losing every shred of humanity he has left. He hasn't let this world get too tight a grip on him yet, but it is starting to tighten."

"Rick would never let that happen, he's not …"

"What? Made that way? Neither was I Beth, and look how I became."

"So I am supposed to walk up to him and say 'hey, we're alive and by the way let's run away together'. He will probably think I am nuts."

"Then you will have to convince him that if he doesn't go then he's not just gambling with his life, he's gambling with yours and hers." Licking his lips, he looked back over his shoulder. "All that baby stuff you liked, all the clothes for you … they are piled in the back of this car. I had Groves and Mitch load it with water and food; there's enough in here that neither of you will starve for at least three months. That will give you enough time to find a place and get settled before you start needing to think about supplies."

"But why Ethan, why are you doing this?" she wept softly.

"Because of him, because of Shawn." He fingered the picture on the sun visor. "That boy meant the world to me, even more so when your mother left. We had our issues, but I never stopped loving him. You know that as well as I do. Shawn was my everything before I remarried and had Penny. That picture is proof of the relationship the three of us shared those times you two came to stay with me."

She nodded and looked at the picture. It was the only one of the three of them together; reaching her hand up, she fingered it gently. That had been one of the happiest times of her life, being with Ethan and Shawn and not worrying about how bad her daddy was. Shawn enjoyed spending time with Ethan and even enjoyed taking Beth with him to visit on occasion till daddy stopped it when she was 10.

"If Rick is half the man I give him credit for, then he will jump at this opportunity." Reaching past her, he turned the car off and pulled the keys out. He placed them in her hands and smiled. "The car is yours."

"I don't…"

"Don't, just listen to me. Rick is a good man, a decent man; he has morals, beliefs, faith, and all that has been shattered by this world. If you give him the chance to start to heal from that, you will find a man capable of giving you so much and then more. He has the capacity to love again, but it will take a stronger woman of faith to stand by him. It will take a woman who is loving, caring, considerate and kind … it will take the mother of his child to bring him around. He is fighting a losing battle with his demons right now, and they are winning hand over fist."

She stared out at him as Ethan stood there, shielding her from everyone's view. "But what if he doesn't love me like that?"

"Beth, I believe deep down he does love you because he wouldn't have left the care of his infant child to you if he didn't. Somewhere, down deep inside, is where that love is. It is buried deep down because he feels the need to be harden and not lose the respect of those people around him. When you step out of this car and take that beautiful little girl into your arms and walk to him, it will come out. You will bring him back from the brink, and you will start to save him again." His words echoed in her mind, a conversation she had all to well with Rick before they were separated at the prison. "You told me yourself that you two spoke about this, remember? Do you remember what he told you? I want you to think about that."

She thought for a moment as she brushed tears away. "He said he was happy that I was taking care of her, and that he would have no problem if Judith ever called me mama. He said I had become her second mother; I told him I could never replace Lori, and I don't want to. I want her to remember what her mother went through so she could be alive. I want to honor her memory, and now I want to honor Carl's too. They were his family."

"Yes they were, and that is gone … his old life has been shattered, like mine and like yours. He has nothing to cling to, except for you and that baby girl."

"Do you think he will accept me back after thinking I was dead?"

"Child please, aren't you the one who said he kissed you like a man kisses a woman?"

"Yea, that was for my eighteenth birthday. He took me out on a supply run in a housing development. There were no walkers, and he thought it would be a nice birthday present … it started to rain, then he kissed me and I felt like he could finally see me."

"And he did Beth, he did. He saw you for who you were, not just as the young woman caring for his daughter. He saw you through all the pain as his bright spot." Reaching down, he helped her out. "If Shawn were here, what do you think he would say?"

"Go for it," she replied. She rose from the car, pulling the warm leather jacket he'd given her around her tighter. Opening the back door, he pulled the gun belt out and handed it to her. She took it from him, lovingly running her hands over the burnt leather as she slid it around her waist and fastened it.

Opening the side door, he reached in and unbuckled Judith from the car seat. Taking hold of the doll she'd fallen in love with, he picked her up and held her against him. Using his hip to shut the door, he handed Beth the doll and hugged her.

"Jack and Maggie are your family, I know, but if you stay with them they will always hold you back. They won't understand a relationship with Rick, they won't understand you needing to protect him and her with your life … they just won't understand. They will try and separate you, they will try and keep you away from him and they may try to take her away too. What if Jack was to tell Rick that you couldn't watch Judith any longer, that he would have to find someone like Sasha to take care of her. What would you do?

"They're not bad people, never have been and never will be. I am not trying to make you doubt them, I am just trying to make you see that what you told me you wanted, they won't let you have. They won't let you be with him because of age, his past and every other thing that they can think of. They can't forgive him for the farm and turning their world upside down."

"Can you?"

"What?"

"Forgive him for the farm."

"He kept you from being bit, that's all that matters."

Wiping her eyes, she nodded silently as she pocketed the keys in with the small handgun. She slipped her arm around his waist as they started walking to where they were gathered. She felt like that this would be the last time she ever saw Ethan Blake again and couldn't bear the thoughts of that ever coming true. "You could stay with us."

"Child, they want to skin me alive as it is. I don't think I could live under that type of constant pressure of not knowing if a small screw-up would get me killed." Reaching into his pocket, he fished a piece of paper out and slid it into her pocket. "If after a month you two are not settled, that is the location of a survivor's camp we have heard about. Take them and go there; I will be shot on sight if I show up, they consider me a war criminal. Just go there and tell them that you and your husband have been on the run since the beginning and you need a safer place to raise your daughter."

They started walking back to where the others had gathered; halfway there he stopped. He placed a kiss on the baby's head as he handed her over to Beth. Leaning over, he placed a kiss on her forehead and a kiss on her cheek. "I was mad at Annette when she left, but I am so glad that she found happiness and had you as a daughter."

"Thank you," she smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Wait here a moment." He strolled ahead of her to stand with Carol, Mitch and Groves. "We are taking our leave of you fair folks. Like I said, we won't no trouble so we're causing no trouble. We just came to see who was throwing the party."

"Then why show up?" Daryl asked, laying a hand on Rick's shoulder.

"We were just dropping off something you misplaced awhile back. We did that now we're on our way. Don't worry, we won't see each other again."

"So that's it, we're leaving?" Carol questioned.

"We did what we came to do, you can stay if you want."

"No, I will go with you. I said I would, and I am a woman of my word." She looked over at him. "Goodbye Daryl, it was fun for a little while."

"You're stupid to go with him," Daryl fumed.

"Yea well, at least I don't have to look over my shoulder." She walked up to Beth and kissed her cheek. "Take care of her, and keep an eye on her daddy too."  
"I will," Beth smiled.

The wind whipped up and tore her ponytail loose from the jacket before freeing her reddish-blonde hair. It whipped in the wind around her as she stood, watching them leave. She placed a kiss on Judith's cheek and waved to them. Ethan stared at her for a long moment, almost regretting his decision. He waved to her as he climbed inside the Trailblazer and cranked the engine. They pulled away, spinning tires in the dirt as they vanished into the night.

She stood, staring after them for a long quiet moment before turning her attention to the group … her friends and family. Everything he had said made sense, everything he warned her about made sense and deep down, she felt the right thing to do was get Rick and run. Her fight or flight instincts had kicked in when she held Judith to her, running from the burning prison. She hadn't known at the time if any of them had survived, and she worried for her own survival until she found Rick's gun where he must have dropped it while trying to escape. She ran her hand down the holster, reminding herself of what she had endured before Mitch had found her.

"All right sweetie, let's do this and go see daddy," she spoke to the baby, holding her closer.

"They left somebody," Daryl's voice cut through the haze in Rick's mind.

"Where?" he asked.

"Heading this way, looks like a blonde carrying something. She looks tough, wearing a gun around her waist like that," Daryl mused. "Damn, how did a girl like that get a gun like that?"

"Wonder what she had to do with the Governor? Wonder if she is a discarded play toy of his that he's turning over," Michonne rumbled.

"Well, whoever she is … she's carrying a baby," Sasha spoke as her voice caught. "That girl, or woman, is carrying a baby."

"A baby?" Maggie questioned. "Who in their right mind would have a child in this world?" She noticed the look across Glenn's face. "Glenn, I am so sorry. I opened my mouth and …"

"It's okay, we will deal with it," he smiled and gripped her hand.

"She is someone with a lot of love to share. Look at the way she's holding it, that has definitely got to be her own child," Jack smiled. "We need to offer her help."

"Wonder how bad off she is," Glenn mused. "Spending all this time with him, she's probably warped like him."

"Probably so," Daryl spoke as he looked at Rick. "What?"

The look on Rick's face was that he had seen a ghost. He felt like he was looking at one, but not a hallucination of Lori but of Beth. Shaking his head, he stared back at the slowly approaching figure, holding the baby so tenderly. "Daryl, I think I am going crazy."

"No, you're not. She was in that black car the Governor drove up in. He left the car along with her and her kid," Daryl replied. "She's real, so's the kid."

The pain and anguish he'd felt over Carl and Judith's deaths left him; tears began running down his face as she got closer. He could barely make out her features, but his heart was screaming her name to him. He suddenly felt Lori's presence beside him, gripping his hand to steel his nerves. "It's her, she's alive, they both are," he heard her whisper to him. "It's our daughter and Beth."

Her reddish-blonde hair flowed gently in the breeze. Her walk, the way she carried the baby … it was all Beth. The height was right, the build was right, the clothes were wrong, but there was no denying her. She wasn't an angel, she wasn't a vision, she was real and alive. His knees gave way as he fell to them, tears in his eyes. Maggie and Glenn ran to his side, helping him back on his feet.

"Are you all right?" Maggie asked, rubbing the tears from his face. "Rick, what's wrong?"

He pushed them off as he started trudging towards the approaching figure. He unsteady trudging turned into faster steps until he stopped halfway to her. She stopped too, just staring at him. He wanted her to continue to come to him, but she stood froze. He followed her glance over his shoulder, noticing that Glenn, Maggie, Daryl and Jack were moving up.

"Wait," he called back to them. "Please, wait."

"She might need help," Jack spoke.

"Let me talk to her first … I beg you please let me talk to her first."

"Rick, I know what you're thinking and I am thinking the same thing, but it can't be her it can't be them," Jack spoke, his voice thick with emotion.

"Who does he think it is?" Michonne asked, stepping up with Sasha and Tyreese.

"He's thinking it's Beth and Judith."

"After all this time, there ain't no way," Daryl spoke. "Look man, I admit I miss them as much as you do but there's been no sign of them since the prison. It's been over a month, we would have found them by now as many times as we've doubled back over there. If they were alive, we would have found them and we haven't."

"Daryl's right," Sasha began. "Besides, she's a redhead partially, Beth was blonde."

"I understand," Rick spoke, his voice now thick with emotion, "but when she saw all of you walking up, that's when she froze. I don't know if it's because we're all headed to her at once or what, but she's scared. That's why I am asking you to wait." He turned to look at them. "Even to this very day, I hold out hope that Beth and Judith survived somehow and we just haven't found them. There's a lot of places we haven't looked yet. Beth would give her life for Judith, and maybe that's what she did. We don't know though because we gave up searching and moved on." He licked his lips. "I want them to be alive because Carl's gone, I need something to hold onto."

"We understand that Rick, no one has lost more than you have," Maggie spoke and rubbed his arm. "Go on, go talk to her. We'll wait here for you. Find out if she needs anything. We can start scavenging around for something to feed her and the baby while you two talk."

"It won't be much, but we can try," Jack smiled. "Go on."

"Thank you," he spoke as he turned and started walking towards her.

Running his hand over his face, he started walking slowly back towards her. His heart seemed to skip the closer he got. He watched her as she stood there, then suddenly … she began to back away. Had his movements scared her in some way? Was she afraid he would take her child? Her reddish-blonde hair danced around her head, that reminded him she wasn't Beth. He pushed the idea and vision of Lori out of his mind.

"It's all right sweetheart, you don't have anything to be worried about." He tried to calm her with his words, so he stopped walking. "We just want to help you and your baby. I don't know why the Governor, or Ethan, left you with us but he did. Would you like some food for you and your baby?" She shook her head 'no' several times. "Okay. Was he good to you?" She nodded 'yes' as she reached her hand up to wipe tears from her eyes. "Don't be scared, it's not that bad. We're a group, we've been on the road for some time together now. All these people behind me are good and decent people." He stopped and placed his hands on his hips. "Forgive me, my name is Rick and I wish I knew yours."

She stared at him as she moved a bit closer. From a distance, he thought she was smiling at him. Lori's presence returned to be next to him. "Sweetheart, it is her … it is Beth and that is Judith in her arms. Take away the blocks from your heart and feel that. You've blocked off so much since I died and even more with Carl now gone. Deep down, I know you can tell it's Judith, all you have to do is open up."

Tears began to run down his face again as he wiped it. Tears rolled down her own as she saw how much pain he was in. "I had a son, his name was Carl … he died almost a month ago. The place we were at was overrun with walkers, and a fire got started. He and I got separated, and when I found him, he'd already been bitten and was dying. I got him clear and tried to help him, but in the end he died. I also had a beautiful little girl about the same age as your child. Her name was Judith; she was being cared for by a young woman I held in the highest regard, and I will admit I loved. Her name was Beth, and we lost both of them as well. That older man behind me is Jack, her father; he's a wonderful and caring man, and I know he would help welcome you into our group. These people behind me will help take care of your baby too."

She knew he would welcome her into the group because he was her father; she also knew Maggie would welcome her, as would Glenn and Daryl. She knew her return-from-the-dead would only last so long with them and it would be back to business as usual. She knew Rick would be so happy and grateful to have Judith back in his life that he probably wouldn't let her go. She knew he would be happy to have her back to, and to hear him admit that he loved her would make it harder for her to let go of him. She knew Maggie and Jack wouldn't understand her feelings for him, and would try to stop them from being together. Instead of speaking, she held her hand out to him. She wanted him closer, not them. She hoped he would accept her gentle gesture.

"She's holding her hand out to you," Lori whispered softly.

He noticed her outstretched hand and took it as a sign to move closer. He walked slowly closer to her, and the closer he walked the more Lori's words hit home. Her blonde hair was being tossed about in the wind, making her appear older than her eighteen years. Her pale skin and piercing blue eyes latched hold of his eyes and held onto them. He wasn't seeing things, he wasn't imaging her standing there.

"I'm returning something you lost awhile back," Rick muttered, remembering what Ethan had told them before they left. The realization hit home finally because he opened up to the possibility. He stopped walking and fell to his knees. Holding his arms open, tears fell down his cheeks. "Come here sweetheart."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she willed her legs to walk to him. She walked right up to him as his arms clasp around her waist. "I never thought I would hear you say that to me. It's okay now, we're home."

He buried his face against her stomach and wept aloud. Tears flowed down her face as she ran her hand through his hair. He rose to his feet with her in his arms, clinging to her gently as he looked into the face of HIS little girl.

"I thought you two were dead," he sobbed as he laid his forehead against hers.

"We would have been if Mitch hadn't found us," she cried softly. "He didn't hurt me or Judith; he cared for us, loved us, fed and clothed us. He held me and let me cry, thinking all of you were dead. He had no idea if any of you were alive when he found us."

"My sweet sweet Beth," he breathed as he leaned over and kissed her deeply.

Her arm slid around his waist, holding tight to him as their kiss deepened ever so slightly more. She let him kiss her, she wanted him to kiss her. She felt his tongue dance between her lips as it found hers. Their tongues danced and flicked around as finally she pulled her mouth from his, she laid her head against his chest and began to cry. "I never thought I would see you again, I thought you were dead."

"I know, I felt the same way," he replied, running a hand through her hair. "I have never felt so alone as I did this past month."

"It's okay, I am here now and everything will be fine. Please just don't ever let go of me again. I love you."

"It's a promise." He paused. "Did you just say you loved me?"

"Yes. I have been in love with you for a very long time."

He backed up slightly to stare at her. "They are going to be so happy to see you alive." He looked at her. "Where has all this come from?"

"I know they will be happy," she spoke, feeling the steel rise in her spine. "Rick I love them, but I love you and Judith more."

"What is it? What did he say to you?"

"He opened my eyes to what is waiting for me once they get over me not being dead," she replied, wiping her eyes. "I can't go back to that, I just can't."

"Beth, what are you talking about? They love you."  
"Yea and they will do what they can to keep me safe. Rick, I survived hundreds of walkers and being burned to death in the prison. Can you imagine what it will feel like to me to go back and become the 'old' me again? They will want me to stay safe, stay behind, cook for them, do their laundry. But what happens when I want to leave and go on runs? They won't let me, they'll tell me its too dangerous and Maggie will give me that damn smirky smile of hers as she runs off with Glenn."  
"That won't happen, I …"  
"Won't let it happen, I know but what if they won't let you near me? What if they try and keep us apart? I can't live like that, not now not after this." She licked her lips as she stared at him. "I couldn't, and wouldn't, let go of you if my life depended on it. Being apart from each other ends now."

"Excuse me!"

"Damn it, can't you see that I love you more than anybody alive! I am not trying to replace Lori, I am fighting to keep my place in your heart so it doesn't grow cold!"  
He was taken aback by her words. "Then what do you want to do?"

Reaching into her pocket, she handed him keys and looked over her shoulder. "There is baby supplies and food, clothes for me, we can get clothes for you, there's enough food and water for three months … run away with me. Let's leave all this behind and go start over."

"What?"

"Run away with me and Judith. Let's leave all this and start over, just the three of us."

He stared at her, dumbfounded at what she was proposing. "And he told you all this? How do you know that is not playing you?"

"Because Ethan was married to my mom, and my brother Shawn was his son. When dad went on one of his binders, mom sent me and Shawn to live with Ethan for a little while until things calmed down. He never met daddy, he never met Maggie, he only knew me. There is a picture in the car of the three of us, the ONLY picture of the three of us. Ethan gave it to me. He told me to live so Shawn would never be forgotten."

"And why would he do that, do all this? Is he playing some sort of game to separate us out from the others?"

"No; he told me that if I didn't get you away from all this, you would turn into him. I saw the furor, rage, anger, despair on your face. I saw that on his face too, and I don't want that for you. I don't want you to lose your soul in this world where the dead walk and the living are damned. You are a wonderful loving kind man who gives all he can to everyone else and never asks for anything. Now, I am asking for something of you … be selfish, not just for you and me but for Judith too."

He backed away from her and looked at her with shock and disbelief. "You want to abandon your family and have the three of us run away together!"

"I want us to be my new family." She held Judith closer to her. "I didn't know how much I loved you or her till I was faced with losing her. I put my life on the line for her!"

"I know you did," he spoke. "I don't think you can redeem me. There is nothing left to redeem me."

"I'm not trying to, I am trying to offer you solace and rest. I am offering you a way to escape this world, to escape all that you've been through. I am not asking you to forget them, I am asking to let me help you honor them by saving your life." She took a step closer. "Judith is your redemption, she is your answer."

He ran his hand through his hair. "And them? You can just turn your back on them that easy. You could leave Jack and Maggie."  
"It won't be easy for either of us, I understand that but I am willing to give it a shot. All I need is you by my side."

"I can't, they need me."

"They don't need you, you may need them but they don't need you. Look how easy it was when you tried to step away. I know you got pulled back in, but they made it without you. You tried to give it away, to make things better for you and Carl and Judith, but this crazy thing called life got in the way."

He looked at the keys in his hand, then reached out and handed them back to her. "Go, if this is what you want then go. Take Judith and go."

"No, not without you. You stay … I stay. Besides, I am getting to be a pretty damn good shot. Your gun works great at close range, but I can't shoot it well enough yet."

He stared at her for a long moment as his eyes trailed down to the gun at her side. He ran his hand over his mouth as he knelt in front of her and placed his hand on the burned holster with the Colt Python sticking out. He brought his hand up to the belt draped around her waist, noticing the burned marks.

"I found it in the rubble, I thought you might have dropped it. I grabbed it when we were leaving. I had to use it against the walkers. There's fresh ammo in it, and there's more in the car."

He stayed knelt in front of her, running his fingers over the belt and down to the holster. He ran his hand down her leg, pausing at the hilt of the knife attached to her boot. He ran his hand back up her leg, running his hand over her waist then up under the coat and over her side. His hand came up to under her arm as he pulled it loose and ran it over her shoulder and up to her neck.

He stood as his hand gently gripped the side of her neck. He looked down into her eyes. "I thought I had lost you, I thought I had lost you both."

"I know, but we're here now we're alive and so are you."

"What about them?"

"What about them?"

"Will you tell them you're alive?"

"Yes."

"Will you tell them you're leaving?"

"Yes."

"Maggie and Jack will be hurt, more liked pissed but also hurt."

"If they can't accept I need to spread my wings, then I don't know what else to say. Like I said, I love them but I love you more." She stopped. "I am not leaving without you."

"You keep saying you love me …"  
"And I do. You said you loved me."

He faltered, he had admitted his love for her. "And I do." His face brightened for a moment. "I do love you."

"Then decide for yourself, decide what you want above of what everyone else wants."

"What about you?"

"I will do whatever you decide."

"Even if it will mean being unhappy."

"Even if it means being unhappy."  
"Even if it means they won't let us be together."

"Even that too."

Her words lingered in his mind, as did Lori's. He put his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "Then let's tell them you're alive."

Her heart sank. "All right." He had chosen to stay here, and that was that. Their soon-to-be-lives together was now gone. "Maybe you're right, maybe we should stay. Here." She handed Judith over to him as he cradled the baby to him.

He watched her wipe a tear from her cheek. She was disappointed, but she said she would do whatever he wanted. He looked over at Judith who broke into a big grin. "How is my beautiful girl?"

Judith bubbled in his arms and her mouth started working. "MMM….MMMAAA…Mama."

Beth looked at her and smiled. "Hey baby girl, how are you?" She wiped her eyes and smiled. "Her first word." She looked at his face. "I'm sorry, I know you wanted her to say that to Lori and I wish she could too."

"You are her mother," Rick spoke, emotion in his voice. "You are her mother in every bit of the word. You have cared for her and loved her and almost died for her. Lori would be happy." He kissed her forehead and cheeks, then abruptly consumed Beth's mouth with his own. He lifted his face from hers, his eyes smoldering with a deep hidden passion. "Let's tell them you're alive, and tell them we're leaving."

"Are you sure?"

"If you are so sure about this, then I am willing to go with you. I am willing to see where this takes us." He licked his lips. "Why do I feel like I owe Ethan an apology."

"Because you do." She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. "You won't regret this. I don't know where we will go, but we will find some place even if we have to leave the state."

He smiled as he slipped his arm around her waist. "I know I won't sorry. It will be hard to start with, but if you are able to handle this then let's do it."

Holding her close, they started walking back to where the others were standing. They had seen everything that transpired, but luckily enough were out of ear range of their conversation. As they approached the group, Maggie stepped away from Glenn and moved to Daryl's side. She clutched his hand tightly as she started shaking uncontrollably.

"BETH!" she screamed and darted away.  
"Oh dear God, thank you thank you," Jack wept.

Maggie ran up to them and yanked Beth into a hug so tight she felt she may break her in half. She looked into her eyes and smiled as tears fell down her cheeks. "Oh thank God you are all right. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine Maggie," she smiled thinly.

"We need to talk," Rick spoke, "and you won't like it."  
"How can I not like it! Beth is alive and so is Judith! Hey baby, how are you!" Maggie giggled as she kissed the baby girl's cheeks.

They walked back to the group as Jack came over and hugged her tightly. "Oh my sweet Beth, I am so thankful and happy to see you alive. How did you do it?"

"Like I was taught to," she spoke as she backed away from Jack. She slipped her arm around Rick and stood there by his side. "Remember uncle Jack, you taught all of us to take care of ourselves when we were younger."

"What's wrong?" Sasha asked. "Did he hurt you?"

"No, he was wonderful. Ethan helped me, he saved my life."

"Ethan … you're on a first name basis with him," Glenn scoffed. "Do you remember what he did to me and Maggie? He can't be trusted!"

"I do, but that wasn't the man I've spent the past month with."

"We'll discuss this later. Come on sweetheart and get in the car. We are going to find us a new place to live."

"Yes we are." Rick shifted Judith in his arms. "Beth and I are leaving."

"What! You can't be serious, she just got back!"

"Rick, what are you talking about? Where would you go?"

"Right now Sasha, I really don't care."

"Beth, what is he talking about?"

"Rick and I are taking Judith and we're leaving. We're going to find a place to stay and get out of this."

"But there is no place like that, we've looked. Honey, you're tired and need to rest. Please, come and get in the car."

"No uncle Jack, I can't, not this time."

"Beth, I said you were getting in the car."

"I will, and it's behind us."

"You mean that black thing?" Daryl asked. "It looks like the one we have."

"It is like the one we have, and it's loaded full of baby supplies and food and clothes."

"I can drive it for you," Glenn spoke up, "it'll give us some more room."

"It's mine, as is the stuff inside." She pulled the keys out and looked at them. "Want me to bring it over?"

"Not yet," Rick smiled. "Jack, I am sorry about this but we're leaving. Beth and I have been through so much lately that I'm at risk for losing what humanity I have left and turning into the Governor. I … I can't do this anymore. I am tired, I am worn out and I feel like I am losing my mind."

"We both are," Beth added. "We need to stop and breathe and heal."

"Jack said you were coming with us," Maggie advanced on her.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled Andrea's gun out and pointed it at her. "I said I am leaving. Now, is this like me?"

"You would shoot me, your own sister? Over what? Some delusions the Governor put in your head?"

"Where did you get the gun?" Rick asked.

"It was Andrea's," Beth admitted.

"Andrea," Michonne whispered. "Another blonde angel."

"Beth, you are coming with us! That delusional fool has brainwashed you -"

"No delusions and he's not the Governor! He's Shawn's father!" she fumed.

Jack and Maggie stared at one another. "What did you say?"

"Ethan Blake was married to mom, he was Shawn's father. He's the man she divorced."

"Dear God," Jack breathed. "That madman who terrorized us is Shawn's father!"

"Uncle Jack, you never met him. You spoke to him on the phone a whole, what, three times and he never met Maggie so he had no idea."

Maggie was taken aback by Beth's steeled demeanor. "All right, put the gun back in your pocket."

She slipped it back inside and stared at her. "The timid little Beth died in the fire."

"Who's Shawn?" Sasha asked.

"My half-brother," Beth explained. "I am not going back to the way things were. My life has changed dramatically."

"So we noticed," Michonne chuckled. "Damn girl, I like it."

Tyreese stood there, silent for a long moment. "We've all had our share of loss. We weren't with you guys when Lori was lost, but we were there when Carl died and you thought both of these ladies were gone. We know that kind of pain. I wish we could all take the chance you two are about to and lay it all down."

"How much gas you got?" Daryl asked.

"A full tank, there's a gas station about three miles down where the pumps still work if you need some."

"And you have enough food and water for how long?" Sasha asked.

"About three months give or take. There's enough for Judith for a good six months."

"And you're both sure about this?" Tyreese asked.

"Yes," Rick answered.

Tyreese extended his hand to Rick. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

Rick took his offered hand and gripped it. "The same for you."

"You two be careful and take good care of her," Sasha smiled as she hugged Beth then Rick. "She is so precious."

"That she is," Rick smiled, "they both are."

"Good luck," Michonne smiled as she hugged them both.

"Thank you," Beth smiled and hugged her.

"Well damn," Daryl finally spoke. He walked over and hugged Beth, kissing her cheek. He walked over to Rick and embraced him and kissed Judith. "And here I thought I would be the first to leave."

"You really are leaving?" Glenn asked.

"We are."

He walked over and hugged Beth tightly then embraced Rick. He placed a kiss on Judith as he backed up. He took Maggie by the hand and gripped it. "Let's go, we need to get on the road and so do they."

"So we're letting them go?" Maggie asked as everyone started walking away.

"We are," Daryl spoke as he climbed onto the motorcycle.

"Mama! Mama!" Judith giggled as she wiggled her arms to Beth.

"I'm here baby girl," Beth grinned and rubbed noses with Judith.

Placing her hands on Beth's face, Judith gave her a quick smack on the nose. Tears rolled down Rick's face as he smiled. "She is definitely a mama's girl."

"She will be a daddy's girl when she gets older," Beth smiled and hugged him.

"Oh sweetheart," Jack spoke as he walked over. He hugged her as tears fell from his eyes. "I am so glad you are alive and so very proud of the woman you are becoming. It sets my heart free to see you are going to be a beautiful mother. Your father would be proud."

"I love you too," she replied as tears rolled down her cheeks.

He reached his hand out to Rick; they gripped one another's hands as Jack hugged him. "Look after these two precious ladies." He paused. "I am happy to call Glenn my son-in-law, and I am also happy to call you that too my friend."

"Thank you Jack, that means a lot."

"Maybe now, you can get the rest you deserve." He turned and patted Maggie on the shoulder as he limped to the car and sat in the front seat with Sasha. He closed the door and waved to them.

"Come on Maggie," Glenn spoke softly.

She stared at Beth as the wind whipped around them. She walked straight to her and flung her arms tightly around her neck. They clung to one another tightly before letting go. Maggie turned and flung her arms around Rick's neck and hugged him. She kissed his cheek, ran her hand over his face then leaned over and kissed Judith.

"I'm not saying goodbye," Maggie spoke with tears in her eyes as she walked to the car. "Wanna know why?"

"Why?" Beth laughed as she wiped tears away.

"Because I know I will see you again!"

"Count on it!"

Maggie climbed into the car as Glenn cranked the engine. The convoy pulled out with Daryl in the lead, vanishing into the darkness. Taking her hand, they started walking to the car.

"Want me to drive?"  
"No, let me till I get tired. Why don't you sleep for once?"

"Okay."

They turned to see Sasha's car come pulling back up to them. She climbed out, popped the trunk and pulled two bags out. Walking over, she set them down in front of him. "You about forgot something."

"Thanks," he chuckled. "I didn't even realize."

"Yea well, Jack made some obscene comment I refuse to repeat," Sasha chuckled. She walked over, climbed back in and sped back into the darkness to catch back up.

Leaning over, Beth picked his gear up as they walked to the car. "Want to stop and refresh your wardrobe?"

"I like the sounds of that," he smiled. He paused, tilting his head as he looked out in the darkness. "Are they gone, are all of them really gone?"

"Yea, it's just me and you," she spoke as she took his hand. "Is that okay with you?"

"Yea, it's just strange is all. I a so used to somebody calling my name for something, and it was always someone different. Now the only people that need me are you and Judith," he commented. He noticed her new coat and the new outfit Judith had on. "So, where in the world did he take you to get all this stuff?"

"Some place we missed because there was a herd milling in the parking lot. Ethan and them went in with guns blazing and made it inside the building. They cleaned out the building and set up camp inside. The cars around the building belong to their convoy, the outer parking lot is where he picked this up."  
"We should have told Daryl and them about it," Rick mentioned as he leaned in and settled Judith into her car seat.

"It's where Ethan and them live now. He's giving us two hours to get you some clothes before they get back," Beth spoke as she looked at him.

"Maybe we should get going then."

"Maybe we should."

He sat in the passenger seat and pulled the seatbelt around him. Beth cranked the engine, allowing it to idle as she leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. "You ready?"

"Let's do this."

From the backseat, they heard Judith giggle her approval. "That says it all." Smiling, she put the car in the drive as they pulled out of the lot and headed down the road.

Pulling around back of the store, she backed the car up the storage ramp as Rick pulled the gate down. Pulling the parking brake, she climbed out and popped the trunk. "Is there anything more we need than what we have?" Reaching in, she pulled Judith out and kissed her cheek. "I can't remember if he put camping gear in here."

"He didn't but damn, do we even need it? Look at all this stuff."

Reaching in she grabbed something pink and pulled it free. Flicking her wrist, the pole became a mini stroller. Kneeling down, she strapped Judith into it and snuggled the doll in with her. "When she would get fussy, the only way to get her to go to sleep was to strap her into the stroller and walk her around."

"Are we getting normal enough to use a stroller?" He pushed the trunk lid down as he looked at her.

"I know it's strange, but what can I say."

He placed his hands on the handles as he started to push her. "This even feels normal."

"Rick, I did something while I was here."

"What?" He pushed the doors opened as they stepped into the darkened store.

"I took a pregnancy test. It came back negative."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Yea well, I was sort of hoping but it may be for the best now."

He stopped in the aisle to stare at her. "You took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. When?"

"While I was here with Ethan."

"Was there a doubt that you might be?"

"Remember my birthday?"

He paused, thinking back on that day. He had taken her to the housing development, the rain had started, they kissed and then they found a bed. A grin crept across his face as he looked at her, which in turn caused her to blush brightly. "Oh I remember quite fondly. What I remember is that you are a bit of a wildcat when you get turned on the right way and touched in certain places. I also remember how you liked being pinned down."

"And you can do it multiple times without getting tired," she reminded him. "You also liked it when I was on top that time too."

"Oh I know," he smiled. He snaked his arm around her waist and kissed her on the neck then on the lips. "You might want to stock on those types of things for later on."

"I already have," she smiled, "and a few other things we might need for that."

"What? Rubbers?"

"No, more like fertility tests to see when it will be the best time and other things that…" He put his hand over the book she was looking at. She turned to look at him. "It's just that sometimes I wonder if I can."

"We will let nature deal with it every time we do it," he grinned and kissed her. "Toss the other and keep the tests only, you don't need that junk."

"Okay." She walked over and began rummaging through the music. "Want some for the road? Is there anything you prefer?"

"Don't care." He settled Judith beside a pole as he walked over to the men's section and started browsing. "It would help if I had a bag or something to load up on."

"Look under the table on your left." He knelt down and pulled three duffel bags out. "I put them under there, planning on filling them up for you but they decided to leave before I could."

He smiled at her as he unzipped them. "I think I will burn most of my stuff."

"Except for that brown jacket and black shirt."

"Except for them then."

She turned to watch him picking through the racks. She smiled as she leaned over to look at Judith who beamed at her. She giggled as she nibbled on a cookie. "Will you watch her, I am going over to camping."

Picking a bag up, he tossed it to her. "That might help. If they have any tents, grab one … if not, grab at least sleeping bags or inflatable mattresses."

"This isn't my first rodeo," she chided him, "but thank you for reminding me."

"Hey, see if they have any rope," he chuckled as she blushed before walking off. He looked over at Judith who was grinning. "Momma embarrasses easy." Judith began laughing then shoved the cookie back in her mouth. "You know what that means, yea it means that daddy can pick on mommy all the time now."

"Mama mama mama," Judith jabbered.

"What about mama mama?" Beth asked, walking up. "There was no camping gear left, but I think the stock room might have some stuff."

"Hehehehe," Judith giggled. "Mama mama dada dada dada."

Rick and Beth stared down at the little girl then at one another. Judith giggled and crammed the cookie back in her mouth.

Picking the bag up, he loaded it into the back of the car as she came rolling into the loading dock. "Here's the rest of the baby food and diapers; I grabbed the rest of the wipes too."

"Good plan," he smiled as he helped her load. "After I finished getting my stuff, I started looking around a little to see what else we could get. I got you something."

"What?" she asked.

Holding the box out to her, she opened it to reveal a sterling necklace with an angel hanging from it. A tear fell down her cheek as he clasp it around her neck. "An angel for my angel."

"It's beautiful," she smiled and kissed him.

"There's something else," he spoke as he lifted her hand in his.

"What happened to your wedding ring? Did you lose it? Please don't tell me you got rid of it here. That is your ring and no one else's."

"No, I left it with Carl so he could keep it safe." He knelt to one knee. "I was wondering if I could give you this and ask you to be my wife. Your father has already given his permission, all we need is a minister."

He opened the box and reveal a thin petite silver band. He slid it over her finger as he reached into his pocket and pulled a silver band out. He rose and handed it to her. She took it in her trembling fingers and slid it down his finger, covering the impression left by the old one. Sliding her arms around him, she clung to him for several moments before kissing him on the lips.

"So, what do you say Mr. Grimes, should be we blow this pup stand?"

"I think Mrs. Grimes, that would be an excellent idea."

They kissed deeply before separating; shutting the trunk, Rick moved around to open the gate as it began to rise on its own. He backed up and stood beside Beth as Mitch and Carol stepped in from the other side. Ethan stood by the entrance with a smile on his face. "I told you they would be here, but you didn't believe me."

"You two heading out?" Mitch asked.

"Yea, we were just leaving."

"Did you get enough stuff?" Carol asked.

"We took only what we needed," Rick commented.

"Oh, we had no worries about that," Philip spoke as he stepped inside. "Should we be expecting Daryl and the others?"

"Only by accident because we didn't tell them," Rick admitted.

"Groves! Leave the gate open, they were just about to leave," Ethan spoke, sounding as cocky as ever.

"One of these days," Beth growled, "what happens when you run into something that is bigger and badder than you are?"

"Then it will be my redemption," he spoke as he placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

Sliding into the car, Beth shook her head as she cranked the engine; releasing the park brake, they rolled out the back gate as Groves pulled it closed behind them.

"That was interesting," Rick commented as he fastened his seatbelt. "He has and hasn't changed. That will be a dangerous combination later on."

"He can be an arrogant ass," Beth replied as she fastened her belt and gripped his hand. "Close your eyes and get some rest. I'll wake you when it's time or we run into something."

Nodding his head silently, he leaned back in the seat as his eyes drooped shut. "Don't know why I am so sleepy all of a sudden."

"You're not under any stress so you are relaxing," she smiled as she gazed into the rearview mirror. Judith's head was leaned over as she fell asleep clutching her new doll.

"Thinking it might be all the tranquilizers your dad was pumping into me too," he drawled sleepily.

Opening his groggy eyes, he looked over to see her still in the driver's seat. He yawned and stretched as he sat up. The sun was high in the sky, close to mid-afternoon from the looks of it. "How long was I out?"

"Almost ten hours. You missed the stop for gas."

"You should have woke me."

"Nah, you needed the sleep."

"Where are we?"

"Just driving down the road. I've stayed off the interstates, knowing they would be clogged with stalled cars. I know we're not in Georgia anymore, but other than that I have no idea."

"Want me to drive?"

"Nah, not yet. I am enjoying it actually. Go back to sleep, you've earned it."

"Where are we headed?"

"No place, any place, just some place."

He smiled at her. "I like the sounds of that. How is she?"

"Been asleep for the past hour." She looked in the rearview to check on the baby. "She's still sound asleep. Want some music?"

"Sure."

Reaching over, she turned the knob as music filled the car. "It's one of the CDs I snagged when we stopped for your new wardrobe."

He leaned his head back as the calm dulcet country words flowed from the speakers. His eyes got heavy as he yawned a second time before surrendering to sleep.

_I can't live without, I can't live without you bay oh baby, Highway don't care, highway don't care but I do I do, Highway don't know you're alive but I do I do_

She yawned and stretched as she looked over at him. "Want me to take over?"

"No, you're good," he smiled as he turned the music down. "I never did thank you for grabbing the CDs. I know I didn't seemed to thrilled with it, but it makes this trip bearable."

"Where are we?" she asked, sitting up straighter.

"Somewhere between St Louis and Kansas City. Already stopped and filled the tank up."

"You changed the way we were going?"

"The road was blocked by walkers, and I didn't feel like fighting them so I could only turn one direction. We're on I-80 heading west."

"Why west?"

"Well, I did it to get around the walkers. I was going to double back after we left Tennessee, but when I got to the Kentucky line I stopped. I wanted to head that, but something told me to keep on I-80." He reached over and gripped her hand. "At 700p, there is a radio broadcast of a survivor camp in Anchorage."

"In Alaska?"

"Yea, they give out directions for whatever route you're on. There's no way they would take the time to tell people how to get there. We took a minor deviation, but we are on the route to get us there. We're heading to Alaska and to safety. We're leaving."

Leaning her head over, she kissed his cheek as they continued driving. "I never thought of getting that far out of the way."

"Is that all right though?"

"It's perfect … so long as it's legit."

"I know, I feel the same way."


	4. Chapter 4

He yawned, opening his eyes to … "Snow?"

"Yep, it's snowing," she smiled as she turned the radio down. "Our friends are broadcasting weather reports. They're warning everyone of snow and to be careful."

"Where are we?"

"We just crossed into North Dakota before you woke up. Last pit stop we made, I grabbed some chains and antifreeze in case we needed it."

"Good thinking. If you find a place, pull over and we'll trade."

"Why?"

"Can a farm girl drive in snow?"

She chuckled softly and hung her head. "All right, I will trade with you." She looked down. "The pumps didn't work at the last station and we're going to need gas soon."

"Just let me know when," he yawned as he dozed off.

He heard the blinker turn on as he woke up. Judith was asleep in the back as he watched Beth maneuver the car in. Opening the door, he climbed out and went to the pumps. He felt around and flipped the switch. Reaching out, he popped the gas cap off and inserted the nozzle. The gas began flowing from the old-timey pumps. He looked over at the store front.

_**Have left the pumps on … be kind and be safe.**_ He smiled at the message as he stood there, gazing around his location. The wind kicked up around him as he heard a truck rumbling down the road. He looked up to see a large tractor trailer come rolling in on the other side of him. It pulled passed and down to the diesel.

Beth climbed out and watched as an older man and woman climbed out. The man came around and opened the gas tank as she inserted it. Reaching over, she flipped the pump on then saw them standing there.

"Hi," she spoke up.

"Hi," Beth smiled as the wind whipped through her hair. Leaning in, she pulled her coat out and pulled it on. She and the woman started walking towards one another. "I'm Beth."

"And a Georgia Peach," the woman chuckled. "I'm Matty and that is Dave."

"That's my husband Rick and our daughter Judith in the back."

"Daughter?" Dave asked, walking over. "How old is she?"

"Almost a year, come on over."

They followed her over to the car as Dave held his hand out to Rick. "Dave."  
"Rick."

"She is adorable," Matty grinned as she lifted Judith out of her car seat. "Oh she is so adorable."

"Thanks," Rick smiled.

"How long you been on the road?"

"Almost three days. We're from Georgia."

"We heard Georgia was lost to the walkers."

"We were part of a group but their plans and ours didn't work out in the end."

"We completely understand," Matty grinned as she held Judith. "Are you poor dears hungry? We have food in the truck."

"We have some too," Beth smiled and ran her hand over her daughter's hair.

"You got chains for this?"

"Yea, they're inside," Rick spoke as he leaned in.

"You might want to go ahead and put them on. We're getting ready to cross into Canada, the snow drifts are going to be pretty bad."

"Are you heading to Anchorage?" Beth asked, taking Judith back.

"No, Saskatchewan. We're medical runners for a hospital there."

"What about the walkers?"

"Only when it's not snowing. We know about Anchorage, that's your best bet. Don't listen to anyone saying you need to go to Juneau. It thaws in spring and the walkers start showing up. Anchorage is better."

"Thanks," Rick spoke as the pump clicked off. Pulling the pump free, he hung it up as snow began to whip around them. "Would you mind help me with the chains? I haven't tried to put them on this one yet."

"Matty, why don't you two go inside and get warm?"

"Shall we darling?"

"No thanks," Beth spoke and placed Judith back in the car. She closed the door and shoved her hands in her pockets.

"How long you two been together?" Dave asked as he helped Rick with the chains.

"Almost two years, ever since this began. Why?"

"She's very protective; she'd rather freeze than stay warm."

Lifting up, Rick winked at her and smiled. "That's my wife."

"You both from Georgia?"

"Yea, I was a Sheriff in King's County and she lived over in Senoia; we met at a nightclub, which sounds strange but it worked. When all this happened, I left and started looking for her. I found her on the farm, and we've been together ever since."

"When did you graduate?" Matty asked.

"Years ago," Beth admitted. "I'm 23."

"You look so much younger."

"I know, just my baby face," Beth chuckled softly.

Rick cocked his head to look at her. Had she really just lied about her age? "Honey, can you get me the tool kit out for these. You bought them, not me."

Shaking her head, she walked around the car and leaned into the backseat. She placed Judith's doll back in her lap as she pulled the tools out. "Here lover."

"I like that," Dave grinned. "It's nice to hear people still say stuff like with the world going to hell."

"What skills do you have?" Matty asked.

"I was about to start college for my Medical training when this started."

"What field?"  
"ER tech."

"Good girl."

After a few minutes, Rick dusted his hands off and shook Dave's. "Thanks for the assist. Mind if we follow you guys for a little while?"

"Not a problem. When I throw my blinker on, we're turning and you need to keep straight."

"Thanks again for your help."

"No problem." They climbed in the car as they watched the couple head to the truck and climb in. "You all right?"

"I just didn't trust them enough to leave you alone with him," she spoke as she slid her seatbelt around her.

"23 huh? I don't feel so bad now," he chuckled.

"I felt like I sold my soul just then."

"I know, but it's what it takes to make it now."

Cranking the engine, he pulled off and began following the truck. Reaching over, he turned the heat on then flipped on the radio.

**At last report, snow has started in North Dakota so be careful coming up from the south. Once you get out of Saskatchewan, make sure the chains are on if not sooner. As you cross over into Canada, flip the band on the car radio to 1292 to keep up with our broadcast. There are no walkers here, we are clean and clear. We are accepting all survivors, no matter where you have been. It's cold here, but we're warmhearted and welcoming.**

Beth smiled as they continued driving.

Two hours into their trip, the truck turned on its blinker. Rick flashed his lights and kept going straight. The scuffing of the chains was replaced by the slushing sound of the snow. Reclining, he looked over at Beth and smiled; he reached out with his free hand and wiped a strand of hair from her eyes. Looking in the rearview mirror, he saw Judith leaned over with her eyes closed. He smiled as he turned the music on.

Flicking the blinker on, he pulled over into a gas station and pulled up to the pump. Climbing out, he popped the hood as he turned the pump on.

"Where you headed friend?" a voice called out.

Startled, Rick turned to see a man in a uniform heading over to him. "Anchorage."

"You got a ways to go. Is she overheating?"

"Yea and needs an oil change five thousand miles before the first five thousand."

"Fill 'er up and pull her in the shop. I'll take care of it. Got heat and got coffee."

"Do you have a restroom?" Beth asked as she pulled Judith out. "I need to change her."

"Grab yer bag and follow me."

Reaching in, Beth followed the man inside as the warmth hit her. She smiled as he opened the door for her. She smiled graciously and walked inside. She heard Rick moving the car inside the shop. The garage door fell as he came inside. Finishing up, she wrapped Judith back up and exited the tiny bathroom. "All done."

"Coffee is there, got some hot stew on the stove … not much except for some venison and vegetables."

"Would you like some more food? We will trade it for the car work," Beth asked.

"No thank you darling, got plenty. I go ice fishing and hunt the caribou as they cross by. Would you folks like some caribou? It's frozen and fresh."

"We don't have a cooler to store it in," Rick smiled as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Seen many of the undead up here?"

"Every so often, but they don't bother me … they're frozen in place. Seems the cold and their bodies don't mix very well. "

"That's so different than we're used to," Rick smiled and took a long drink. "Chicory this far north?"

"Special ordered it till the shit hit the fan," he grinned. "Name's Jonas."

"I'm Rick, my wife Beth and our daughter Judith. We're heading to Anchorage."

"I've had a lot of people stop for gas that are heading there. Every day or so another new car or truck with weird plates stops in." He tilted his head to the shop. "Almost done draining, then I'll get started."

"Thanks for your hospitality," Rick smiled.

"Where you folks from anyway? Not from up around here."

"No, Georgia actually," Rick smiled.

"Damn, they say Georgia is a lost cause along with the rest of the south."

"I'm glad we left when we did," Beth spoke softly.

"We left some family and friends down there," Rick spoke up.

"Well, eat you some stew and stay warm," Jonas smiled as he headed into the shop.

"It smells good, maybe we should try it."  
"Rick don't please just don't."

"He was nice enough to offer," Rick spoke as Jonas appeared.

"Okay folks, the car is fine now. Good thing you changed the oil when you did, you were getting icing on the lines. I filled it with heated oil to keep the lines from freezing. I added some water and antifreeze."

"Thank you Jonas," Rick smiled and shook his hand.

The door slid up as Jonas backed the car out. Beth hurriedly got Judith back in the car as the temperature dropped. She walked around and hugged Rick to keep warm.

"Trip your meter when you pull out. In a hundred miles, make a left hand turn and retrip the meter; in another hundred miles, make a right turn; reset it a third time and in 400 miles you'll be in Anchorage." Reaching into his pocket, Jonas pulled out a pen and pad. He scribbled the directions down and ripped it, handing it to Rick. "Don't get off this road if you can help it or you'll get lost. This place is not for people out of town, even in good conditions."

"Thanks," Rick spoke. "What can we offer you for the car and hospitality?"

"How about a rifle and some ammo?" he asked.

Walking around back, Rick popped the trunk and leaned in. Running his hand over the sniper rifle, he pulled it free along with the ammo. Closing the trunk, he walked over and handed both to Jonas. "That enough?"

Pocketing the ammo, Jonas ran his hands over the rifle and smiled. "I would have settled for a regular one, but this one will be better with the occasional looters. I can nail them from my deer stand if they get too close. I also like to hide out up there at night and look at the stars too. Thank you folks, you might want to get on the road."

Beth reached out and hugged him, placing a kiss on Jonas' cheek as she climbed inside the car. Rick waved as he climbed in. Tripping the meter, he pulled out onto the road and took off.

His sleepy mind heard the blinker as he yawned. He sat up to see the sky beginning to darken. Beth was leaned back in the seat, chin resting on her fingertips as she made the turn. She dropped the transmission to second as she rolled over several rough patches of ice before returning it to drive. She kept drumming her fingers.

"Okay, what was that about Jonas?"

"Glad you didn't eat the stew, it was walker-flavored."

"He's eating them?"

"When he let me in to use the restroom, he had to let me in back. There are walkers or the 'occasional looter' hanging in back with chunks of meat missing."

"I'm beginning to wonder about the coffee then."  
"No it was real chicory coffee … he had over a thousand cans of the stuff."

"Want me to drive?" He noticed the look on her face.

"In a little bit," she spoke, stifling a sob.

Pulling the car over to the side, Rick climbed out in the blowing snow and looked straight ahead. City lights covered the horizon as he saw Anchorage. Climbing back in, he turned the heat up a bit more as he touched Beth's face. She was still asleep, which he was grateful. The time with Jonas had rattled her tremendously, and she needed to rest before they got to their new destination. He looked up to see a broad smile on Judith's face. He returned her grin and blew her a kiss as they started rolling.

He drove through the still downtown area, not noticing any signs of life. He rolled the window down to listen; nothing but silence. Shaking his head, he rolled the window back up and stopped, letting the car idle. He was lost in thought as someone tapped on the window. He rolled the window down to see a teenage boy about Carl's age. "Hey mister, you all right?"

"Yea, I think I made a wrong turn. I was looking for the camp."

"Anchorage is the camp. People don't come out at night because heat is limited. Go up to the next street and turn left. Head to the water and you'll find the military people."

"Thanks son, you need a ride? We have room and she won't bite much," he chuckled and inclined his head at Judith in back.

"Charles! What are you doing?" the woman snapped as she ran over to them.

"They were lost mom," the boy replied.

"He was just giving us directions and I was going to offer him a ride to keep warm."

"Can you squeeze us both in?" she asked. "My husband is the military liaison."

"Yea, I don't think Judith will mind some company."

They opened the doors as Beth woke up and yawned. "How is she?"

"Smiling," the woman spoke up. "I'm Elise."  
"Beth, this is Rick and that's Judith."

"She is adorable," Elise smiled. "Head up to the next street and I'll navigate."

"Thanks," Rick smiled. "Are you from here?"

"No, Albuquerque. You?"

"Atlanta."

"Welcome to Anchorage."

Chuckling to himself, Rick headed down the street. He made the turn and followed her directions as they rolled into a line of cars heading for a large military base that had been an airport at one time. The guards came walking up as Elise pulled a card out. "I'm here to see my husband."

"These folks with you?"

"Yes."

"Sir, pull out and move through the open gate on your right please."

"Thanks."

Rick did what the guard told him as another waved him through. The one who waved them in motioned them to follow him. He followed the man into a hanger and parked the car. He held the door open for Elise and Beth. Charles climbed out as Beth leaned in and pulled Judith out. Rick climbed out and looked around; they followed Elise over to where a group of men stood.

"Sorry I'm late, the car died and we got a ride."

"You all right?" her husband asked.

"I'm fine, there's some folks all of you need to meet." The people in the military clothing lifted their heads and stared at the newcomers. "This is Rick, his wife Beth and their daughter Judith. They're from Atlanta." Hushed murmurs went across the table as they looked at them. "This is my husband Samuel."

He walked over and gripped Rick's hand as he stared at Beth and Judith. "We don't have many, if any, people from Atlanta here. We have some from Tulsa, Houston, Knoxville and the Carolinas, but hardly any from Alabama, Georgia and Florida. We have plenty of accommodations, do you want a house or apartment?"

"House preferably with her," Beth grinned as Judith clapped her hands.

"There's a vacant one in our neighborhood," Elise smiled. "Think it will work?"

"Sure; we'll need to register you folks, check over and sign you up for food deliveries. We'll give you daycare for her; she's what two, three?"

"Almost one," Beth smiled.

Another group of hushed murmurs came over the table. "Where did you deliver her?" Samuel asked.

"Is there something wrong?" Beth asked.

"A prison our group had moved into," Rick commented. "We had someone with medical know-ledge with us."

"No one has had a successful birth since the outbreak. Judith may well be the youngest living person the planet. You are very lucky," Samuel spoke. "Will you let our medical staff check all of you out?"

"Sure."


	5. Chapter 5

Sitting on the bed, Rick looked around as the medical professionals buzzed around. "Mr. Grimes, you are free to go," Doctor Lewis spoke as he walked up.

"What about Beth and Judith?"

"Did you and Beth take the girl from her parents?"

He sat heavily on the bed. "She was my wife's daughter from an affair she had with my best friend."

"Good answer," he smiled. "Your daughter has the protean virus in her bloodstream, which means conception right after the plague hit. You and your wife do not have protean virus in your systems, meaning conception before the plague. Usually when I ask that question, people don't normally give that response."

"There was a question of her parentage early on."

"Well she is a beautiful healthy little girl. We always do blood panels and paternity tests on all young children. Congratulations, Judith is one hundred percent yours and Beth's."

"Thank you," Rick smiled and shook his hand.

"She was lucky to have your blood type, Beth's would've been lethal and she would have needed a transfusion after birth."

"Does that mean we can't have more children?" Rick asked, putting his jacket on as he rose.

"No, it means that when she becomes pregnant again, we will have to keep an eye on her for the first few months to make sure there's no rejection of the fetus. The fetus could have her blood type and be fine, but yours is a lot stronger with antibodies because of Beth's vegetarian diet. Talk to her about changing it; if she would consume just a little meat in any form, there wouldn't be the risk of this happening. You are healthy and lean; she's too lean, she could break a bone so easy."

"I told her she needed to watch that."

They walked to the women's side as a nurse came carrying Judith over. "We took a little blood and she got grumpy, but calmed down after her mom gave her the doll."  
"Thanks," Rick smiled and took her from the nurse. "That's my girl."

"Over here," Dr. Lewis smiled. They walked through the pulled curtains to find Beth sitting on the bed. Rick walked over and sat beside her. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine; she's bitching about my anemia, which I was born with," Beth growled softly.

"All right, here are the vitamins for you to take and your birth control," Dr. Matthews spoke handing to her.

Beth took the vitamins and refused the other. "I don't take that."

"You do now," Dr. Matthews spoke sternly.

"Sorry, religious conflict," Beth replied sternly.

"Beth, you are 18 years old …"

"I am not 18! Damn it, I am 23 years old! Why does no one believe me?"

Doctor Matthews stood there, arms crossed. "Why don't I believe you? Why do I think you are lying about your age to stay with this man? You are a girl, you don't need to put your life on hold to raise his child."

"Husband and my child!" Beth snapped and showed her the wedding band.

"That can happen to anyone this day and time …"

"Look lady, he is my husband, has been for several years now. We lost another child, her brother, he was seven, so you can deal with it and shove those pills," Beth hissed as she hopped up and started walking off.

"She is something else," Dr. Lewis grinned.

"She is lying about her age," Dr. Matthews spoke.

"No ma'am, I was there for her sixteenth, eighteenth, and twenty-first birthdays," Rick smiled. "We've been together for a lot longer than two years."

"Meaning?" Dr. Lewis asked.

"Shotgun and her father," Rick admitted, slightly blushing. "Our son Carl died in Atlanta; he had just turned seven when he got bit."

"I am so sorry," Dr. Matthews spoke, laying a hand on his arm. "Tell Beth I apologize."  
"I will, don't mind her … she doesn't adjust to new people easily," Rick smiled as he headed after her.

He walked through the beds and saw Beth standing in the hanger door. He walked over and slid his arm around you. "She wanted me to tell you she apologized."

"Good," Beth huffed. "I am not a child, no matter what anyone thinks."

"Yea, but you are starting to act like one," Rick whispered in her ear. "I know you don't like all these people poking into our lives before now."  
"No, I just don't want them to find a reason to separate us."

"Well, according to them if you would start eating some meat in any form, your blood type wouldn't have an adverse reaction to the next baby we have."

She looked at him as he smiled at her. Leaning forward, he nuzzled her nose with his. "You are biologically her mother, according to these folks, and if you start eating some form of meat it would make it easier for us to give her a brother or sister."

She smiled at him then kissed him hard on the lips. "After we get settled, maybe we should start on that."

"Maybe we should," he smiled as he hugged her.

"There you two are," Elise's voice called out. "Your car has been Alaska proofed, and no they didn't take anything. It seems as though my husband is interested in you working with him, Rick. He thinks you will make a great new asset to the team."

"I will let him know if a month or so. I am so tired and drained that we just need time to ourselves. I appreciate his offer and I am going to take him up on it, just not right now. We need time to grieve for those we lost."

"I have an idea, will you come with me?" Elise asked.

"Sure," Beth smiled.

Walking to the car, Beth pulled Judith's bunting out and wrapped her in it as they walked outside. They followed Elise across the airport to where a large group of people stood together. She stepped up and patted a woman on the shoulder. "Friends, I would like for you to welcome Rick and Beth, and their daughter Judith. They are survivors from Atlanta, and they need our help." Elise turned back to them. "This circle here is for prayer for the people we have lost or had to leave behind for whatever reason. We ask you to add those names to our circle."

A tear rolled down Rick's cheek as he stood there. He gripped Beth around the waist as he stared into the fire. "Lori, Shane, Carl …"

"Jack, Maggie, Glenn," Beth added. "Patricia, Annette, Shawn."

"Daryl, Carol, Tyreese, Michonne and Sasha," Rick paused as tears gently fell.

"Ethan," Beth spoke as her own tears began to flow.

"Dale and Andrea," Rick finished.

"We accept your names in our circle and our flame will float higher for them," a Native American man spoke. "We honor the world and offer humble prayers to whoever is listening to make it better for us."

"Amen," the circle spoke.

"Amen," Beth and Rick added.

"We offer this to you both," a Native American girl spoke as she walked over. She handed them a dream catcher and smiled. "Hang it over your bed and you will rest easier."

Elise handed Beth a smaller one. "This is for Judith."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"We ask you both to continue to join us until the pain has ended," the man spoke up. "Which was your child?"  
"Carl," Beth whispered as Rick felt his resolve cracking.

"We will light another candle for him and craft for you a kachina to keep and never forget how special he was to you both."

"Thank you," Rick spoke as he covered his mouth.

"Thank you Chief." Everyone bowed as Elise walked them over to the garage. "It is a tradition they started all on their own without anyone to assist them."

"The sentiment is beautiful," Beth smiled as she placed Judith in the back. Tickling her cheeks, she stands and looks around. "Home." Walking over to Rick, she slipped her arms around him and kissed his neck. "Climb in and let me drive us home."

"Home," he smiled as he wiped his eyes. "I knew it would be hard, I didn't know it would be this hard."

"We made it though," she smiled as they climbed in.

Cranking the engine, they rolled out behind the Humvee carrying Elise and her family. They followed them back into town, then out to a small suburb. They drove into a housing area, then drifted through to the back of the development where older homes stood. They stopped behind as the family offloaded. The Humvee cranked and spun around, heading back to base. Elise walked over as Rick rolled the window down.

"The house in the cul-de-sac circle is yours," Elise pointed to a red brick home. "We'll be over later after you've had a chance to settle in."  
"Thanks," Rick smiled as they rolled over to the house. He climbed out and raised the garage door so she could roll in.

Closing the door behind him, he blew on his hands to warm them. Beth climbed out and shivered momentarily. Closing the door, she pulled Judith out as they headed inside the house. Opening the door, they entered a small mud room with washer and dryer. Stepping into the kitchen, they found a potbelly wood stove with a crackling fire burning inside. Walking into the den, they found the large fireplace crackling as well.

"Oh you're here earlier than I thought," a woman's voice spoke. "I am Nancy, I am the head of the welcoming committee. You must be Rick and Beth, and this little lady must be Judith. We are so glad you made it up here."

"Thank you for getting the house warm for us," Rick smiled as he gazed around. "Not used to the dark paneling."

"Well, once the weather warms up you can change it however you want it to look. The master bedroom is on that end of the house, and the children's rooms are on this end of the house. I took the liberty to light the fireplace in the master as well."

"Thank you," Beth smiled genuinely. "How warm will she be down here?"

They followed her to the end of the hall and peered into the little pink nursery. "Since you have a small one, under the age of five that is, they do not restrict heat to the home. We put some space heaters in here in case the power goes out due to weather. My husband is outside cutting more firewood."  
"I should go help him," Rick spoke as he turned.

"He has to contribute chopping wood … he almost turned this place into a bloodbath. He brought some people in that we didn't know. Come to find out they were cannibals, and we almost lost everything. The military and council said that his punishment was to cut wood for every home in use in Anchorage. He has to leave at 5a and return at 5p; if a new family arrives, he must have enough wood chopped for them for a week."

"It seems a bit harsh at the onset, but it is a sensible punishment," Rick commented.

"You were the leader, weren't you?" Nancy commented.

"No ma'am, I just helped keep everyone safe," Rick smiled thinly.

"Well whatever you were to them, you did a good job," Nancy smiled.

"I have about two days worth chopped, it's getting to late to see to chop more," the man spoke as he walked in.

"We appreciate it," Rick spoke, holding his hand out.

The man took Rick's hand and gripped it. "Ned."

"Rick. This Beth and Judith."

"Pleasure to meet you both. Where are you folks from?"

"Atlanta."

"Sweet mother of mercy, you survived Atlanta … and with a baby?" Nancy reached out and touched Judith's hair briefly.

"Yes we did," Beth smiled as Judith continued staring around the room.

"Wow, all right then," Nancy smiled. "The beds have fresh mattresses and linens; the towels are clean and the appliance have been cleaned out. Your food delivery starts tomorrow, his name is Joshua and he will be here around one or two in the afternoon. If he's not here by two thirty, contact me as soon as you can. If he ever misses a delivery, please let me know. He missed an entire street and come to find out he was stuck in the snow."

"We will let you know," Rick smiled.

"My number is on the pad by the phone. The phone works for inside Anchorage only. No need for area codes when you dial. I have a list of all numbers posted on the fridge. I hope I am not forgetting anything."  
"Darling, they will let us know if we have. Shall we leave them alone?" Ned asked. "Make sure to stay warm. When the weather gets bad, we have intermitted power outages. I'll be back tomorrow evening on my way home and chop some more wood."

"Thank you folks for everything," Rick spoke as he escorted them to the front door.

"Please Rick, take time and rest. You have been through things we can only imagine. We're from Canada, we moved here to help out. We heard the reports about the deep south, so believe me when I say there was a divine hand in getting you here," Nancy smiled and grasped his hand.

"Thank you Nancy, I will remember that and I will get some rest."

He closed the door as he looked around. Running his hand over his face, he watched Beth come out of the nursery without Judith. She walked over and stood in front of him then threw her arms around his neck and laughed out loud. "This place is amazing!"

"How is she?"

"There is a mobile over the crib; I turned it on and she's laying there watching it and holding her doll. Shall we start unloading the car?"

"Sure." He grabbed hold of her as she tried to walk off. He bent her backwards and kissed her deeply. Running her hands through his hair, he stood her up and backed her against the couch as they continued kissing. "Okay, so maybe unloading the car is not on my mind quite at the moment but it is something we need to do."

"Think we have enough time before Elise and company arrive later?"

"That I doubt because I am afraid once I lay you down, I am not going to want to climb off or out of you till the sun comes up."

"You do know we are now living in the land of the midnight sun, where the sun doesn't come out for at least a month sometimes."

"Hot damn."

"I agree."

"Beth, you are driving me crazy rubbing up against me like that."

"Why honey, isn't that wives are supposed to do?"

"Yes but that is when we have time on our hands and not nosy neighbors that might come a'calling in a little while."

"Oh poor baby."

"Damn, just damn."

"Where do you want the tent and air mattresses?" Samuel asked.

"Put them down the hall in one of the spare bedrooms," Rick called out.

"Okay," Samuel smiled.

"Your gun is so awesome," Charles beamed as he looked at the gun on Beth's hip.

"Oh thank you, but it's not mine it's Rick. I forgot I still had it on," Beth giggled.

"What kind is it?" Samuel asked.

"Colt Python," Rick smiled, "and it's now hers."

"Why thank you honey," Beth smiled.

"I finished unloading all the baby stuff in the room beside her. That stroller is too cute," Elise smiled.

"Thanks, we found it on our last supply run in the States."

"Have you thought anymore about my offer, Rick?" Samuel asked.

"He said he wanted to wait a month to get settled, so leave him be," Elise scowled.

"I appreciate it, and I will probably take you up on it but I can't … not now anyway. Our son Carl was Charles' age … he died in Georgia. We haven't had a chance to have a proper funeral, burial, whatever people are doing now. I also buried my sister-in-law and brother, along with her mom and brother. We've lost so many people in a short span of time."

"Do you know how truly lucky the two of you are? The Deep South of the United States has been labeled as unlivable and hostile. Alabama, Georgia and Florida are all considered hot spots that would be surgical strike zones if we had a military to handle it. You lived almost three full years in the middle of lawless land, and were able to have a baby that survived. All three of you are miracles."

"Sometimes we don't feel that way," Beth commented.

"We had to do things and live a certain way that still makes us cringe," Rick spoke gently.

"When you both are ready, will you share your story with us? It doesn't have to be tomorrow or the next day, but whenever you can bring yourselves to talk about would you?" Samuel asked.

"Why?" Rick questioned.

"We have everyone deliver their story of survival during all this. Most people probably didn't go through a quarter of what you both did. You probably saw, or did, things you are not proud of but that is part of your survival story and it makes you who you are. Both of you are a living testament to the human spirit."

"Thank you," Rick smiled. "We appreciate it."

"I brought you a housewarming present." Samuel walked into the kitchen and pulled a bottle out. He walked over and handed it to Rick. "Hope you like it."

"That is what you brought them?" Elise questioned. "Samuel, you are hopeless!"

"Jack's Whiskey Sour," Rick smiled. "I love this stuff actually. I haven't seen any bottles around in a long time."

Drowning out their conversation, Beth began to hum to herself as she pulled a skillet out from the cabinet. Walking over, she opened the fridge and pulled out a large bag of freshly caught and shelled shrimp. She pulled out butter, garlic and some green snap peas; setting them on the counter, she turned and opened the freezer and pulled out the cubed caribou meat. Staring at it, she shrugged and sat it out.

Turning the burner on, she put the garlic and butter in the pan. Licking her fingers, she kept her eyes on Rick to see if he would start to smell it. With no reaction, she tossed in the caribou then snap peas and finally the shrimp. She kept stirring as the scents of the food started to cover the room.

Charles stood on his tiptoes and looked in. "What is it?"

"Caribou Shrimp Stir-Fry without rice," Beth smiled.

"It smells great," Charles smiled.

"You may have some when it's done."

"Thank you."

Elise had entered the conversation with them as Beth shook her head. Reaching into the fridge, she pulled a bottle of cola out and sat glasses on the counter. "Charles, would you please set the table for the five of us?"

"Yes ma'am," he smiled and started working.

"Charles, what are you doing?" Elise finally asked.

"Setting the table for dinner like Beth asked," Charles smiled.

"Dinner?" Samuel asked.

"What are you making?" Rick asked as he walked over.

"Caribou Shrimp Stir-Fry without the rice," Beth smiled as she tossed in carrots and cauliflower. "I am eating meat by the way."

"I noticed," he grinned as he hugged her. "Beth is a vegetarian."

"Was a vegetarian," she spoke up.

"Why change?" Elise asked.

"Well, I am anemic and have some brittle bone syndrome. The worst is the toxemia," Beth commented.

"So, it was either go meat or no kids," Elise chuckled. "I had the same problem, I was vegan for most of my life."

"Finally someone who gets it," Beth exclaimed.

"Oh believe me I get it," Elise chuckled. "Honey, if you want some horror stories I will love to swap with you."

"Deal," Beth smiled. "Is there anything I can do around here? Believe me, I'm not looking until Rick is ready but I would like to do something."

"We can enroll you two in mommy and me classes," Elise smiled. "We can enroll you in some sort of college courses. What was your field of study before all this happened?"

"The food is delicious by the way," Rick grinned.

"Thank you honey. To answer your question, I was trying to get my degree as an ER MedTech, is that still possible?"

"Where were you studying?"

"I was getting ready to start at the University of Georgia when the initial wave hit, so I never truly got started."

"And me a proud husband working as a Deputy Sheriff to make ends meet," Rick grinned.

"I knew there was some type of law enforcement or military training in you," Samuel beamed. "I know exactly what we can do together and it will be fun."  
"First, they are going to take some time honey. Let me do some checking for you. I know the medical group needs people in the hospital, but I think you might be better suited to help out on base. Who knows, you might become the new Doctor Matthews or Doctor Lewis. Let me work on the particulars."  
"Thanks Elise."

An hour later, the food was done and the dishes were cleaned. The guests had departed as soft snow began to fall. Both fires crackled as Beth leaned her head against Rick's shoulder. She sipped a cup of warm apple cider as Rick swished the whiskey in his glass.

"You like that?"

"It's pretty good, want some?"

She took the offered glass and took a sip. She stared at him before she started coughing hard. "Damn that's strong." She coughed and took a second sip. She returned the glass to him as she took a drink of the cider. "Hmm, not bad."

"What? Mixing the whiskey and cider?"

"I could drink that."

"Bet you could."

She rose and went down the hall; peering in, she saw Judith asleep on her back clutching the new doll in her arms. She leaned over and turned the small heater to medium before backing out the door. She walked back in and sat beside him. "Sound asleep."

"Hard to believe she's still sleepy after all that she did on the way here."  
"Babies need their rest."

He swirled the glass until he drained the rest of the contents. He rose from the couch and walked into the kitchen. He sat the glass down and looked at the bottle. Beth looked at it too, almost half of it was gone … and that had been in the past hour. "Go ahead, I don't mind."

He stared at her. "I keep waiting."

"I know I do too. Part of me hates that we unloaded everything."

"Yea me too." He ran his hand over the bottle. "I'm on edge."

"I know I can tell. I keep wanting to check on Judith."

Walking over, he leaned down and stoked the fire in the cook stove then walked into the living room. He punched the burning wood as he threw another log on it. He sat down and looked around the house. "I should be on guard duty."

"How? We can't do anything here, we're newcomers."

"I know, it's just how I feel."

"I have an idea." She rose and walked over to him. She took hold of his hand as she flipped the light off. They walked to the end of the hall and pushed the door open. Pulling him in behind her, she closed the door and turned to him.

"Make love to me."

He smiled as he stared at her. "What's wrong? I thought you had enough on your birthday. I didn't think you were interested in doing that after the scare."

"That was a scare and my father was on patrol for us afterwards. This is freedom, me and you, and our new lives together. We took a chance leaving everyone and everything, and look where we are. We have a home of our own now, we are the proud parents of a beautiful daughter … and it would be nice to add a second or third."

She planted her mouth over his as she pushed him to the bed. He fell onto the bed, hands on her waist as their lips remained locked. She pulled her shirt off then began unbuttoning his. She threw it on the floor as his hands came up her back and unlatched her bra. He tossed it to the floor as he gripped her hip and flipped her over.

Their hungry mouths played back and forth with one another. He rose up and looked down at her. He smiled as he pulled his belt free. He lowered himself back atop her, pinning her to the bed with his weight as he began to place gentle soft kisses on her cheeks and lips. He traced his mouth across hers and down her neck.

"I am not in the mood to rush things, I want to do this right. I want this to be the start of something new for us."

"Thought we did it right on my birthday."

"No, that was rushed."

"So how do you want to change that?"

He smiled and kissed her nose. "Let me lay you down and love you."

His mouth trails down her neck and around, licking the sensitive skin below her ears. Her body responds as one hand comes up to grasp one breast as tease the hard and sensitive nipple. His mouth continues its journey as he reaches her breasts. Fingers gently pinch and tug one while he licks and sucks at the other. Leaning over, he does the same to the other as her breathing becomes deeper.

His hands slide between them as he unfastens her jeans and starts pulling them down. His fingers run across the lace band of her panties as they snag them and pull. He drops her clothes to the floor as her naked body lies under his.

Her fingers snake through his hair as his tongue licks and his mouth nip at her belly button. His knee parts her legs as he continues down her body with her mouth. Her back arches as electricity shoots through her as his mouth consumes her between her legs. The breath is taken from her body as she looks down at him.

He licks and nips, his tongue touches places she didn't know existed before as she lays there. She tries to squirm underneath him because his mouth and fingers are driving her crazy. She hears the soft rip of his zipper then the thud of his clothes onto the floor with hers. His mouth begins to trace its way back up her body as his hands pull the covers back.

Lifting her hips, he releases the cover below them before covering their bodies with it. His mouth returns to feast upon both her nipples as she moans softly. His hand holds her hips steady as he presses slowly and steadily until he's fully sheathed inside her. The warmth, the constriction, robs him of words and a good portion of his air, and he hangs suspended over her for an eternity, not moving. Just feeling. Then they move together, sliding and rubbing and pressing against all the right places, a little clumsy and absolutely perfect. He can't stop the flow of words that spills from his lips as he presses his mouth against his ear, breathing out just how perfect and wonderful and amazing she is and how damn lucky he is that she chose him.

She kisses him, partly to shut him up, he thinks, but neither of them is complaining. Then his mouth moves lower, finding one of her nipples, and she shatters beneath him. She sighs his name as she comes, and his own hoarse, wordless exhalation answers her. He stiffens, straining between her legs for a long, flawless moment before collapsing beside her on the bed.

"That was," she breathed, "amazing."

"That is what I meant by taking our time."

"Damn. I guess we did rush it a little on my birthday." She laid there, her tired body throbbing from his gentle touching. "Whenever you want, we can do that again."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. Can we do it like that all the time, unless not taking our time is preferable."

"We can do that."

He stared into the flickering fire, memories ebbing and flowing through his brain as sleep evaded him. He wiped his eyes as he sits there, consumed in the memories of the past and the ones left behind … Lori, Shane … Carl. Tears flowed again as he wiped them away, telling himself that he is still able to feel, able to love, able to care.

She strolled into the living room, a blanket wrapped around her still nude from. He is seated on the couch, watching the fire. She walks over and sits atop him, pulling the blanket around their bodies. She leans over and starts kissing him and running her fingers over his chest. She straddles him as she lowers herself down onto his hardened manhood. His hands grasps her hips as they start moving in rhythm. Their mouths drag apart as he leans over and claims the left, then right, nipple; he suckles them, nips them and tugs them. His mouth nuzzles the sensitive skin below her ears as she runs her fingers through his hair. She clings to him as her body explodes atop him, followed by his own explosion within her. She leans her forehead against his.

"You weren't there when I woke up. I got worried."

"Sorry. I didn't want to bother you."

"Hope I'm not bothering you now."

"Just thinking and remembering."

"I'll leave you be."

She goes to move as his arm goes around her back as he rises, her still astride his manhood. She stares into his eyes as he carries her back to the bedroom and presses her back down into the bed. His mouth starts roaming over her as he holds her legs apart with his hands. His thrusts are slow to start, and which each moan from her, he thrusts a little faster and harder.

She gasps as he grips her knees, thrusting hard and deep within her. His tongue sizzles across her skin as she moans desperately for him to continue. She explodes hard as he continues, barely giving her a moment to recover. Her back arches as her inner muscles latch hold of him. His body seizes and his own mind-blowing orgasm hits. He falls atop her, kissing her lips as he lays there.

"What was that all about?"

"Just thought I would introduce you to a 'harder' version."

"Damn." She looked at him and grins. "I like it."

"There are so many different … ways … to enjoy ourselves."

"No feathers, no handcuffs and no strange gadgets."

"Anything else?"

"I prefer to look you in the face when we're like this because it drives me that much crazier seeing how much you are enjoying yourself."

"Okay, I can handle that. Now, I want to sleep."

"Me too."

Sliding his arm around her, he rolls onto his back and pulls her with him. He lays his head back, listening to the soft crackling of the fire across from them. He looks at her, her eyes closed now as she slept in his arms. He smiled and kissed her forehead as his eyes began to drift off to sleep in the warmth of her love.


End file.
